


The Curious Case of a Horoscope, a Point Guard and a Night Full of Events Bordering on Ridiculousness

by BeautyButterBae



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: "Platonic" Cuddling, Awkwardness, Blankets, But hey we all love that stuff, Cliche, Confessions, Cooking, Couch Cuddles, Cuddling & Snuggling, Feeding, First Kiss, Fluff, Horoscopes, Literally nothing but cuddling and too much rain, Little Sisters, M/M, Oha Asa being the best wingman ever, Rain, Sharing a Bed, Sleepy Cuddles, Storms, Takao being a seductive little shit, Teasing, The Pocky Game, This will most likely become, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, also, shameless fluff, silly fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-05
Updated: 2015-09-05
Packaged: 2018-04-07 20:26:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 28,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4276833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeautyButterBae/pseuds/BeautyButterBae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"What do we do about the whole 'love' issue? After all, you’re particularly vulnerable and I wouldn’t mind getting a little lovey-dovey with you.”  he spoke, tracing Midorima’s cheek with his fingertips.</p><p>“Well, I would. ‘Lovey-dovey’ is out of the question.” Shin-chan stated firmly, though feeling the sudden rush of blood to the spots Takao touched reduced his intimidating aura by at least 50 points, as far as he could tell. “And I am not vulnerable.”</p><p>“Not at all, Shin-chan.” The point guard smirked as he ran his thumb across his partner’s lips, adding even more flush to his pale features; something Takao considered nearly impossible until now. “You’ve just been acting like a sweet little puppy all evening, that’s all.”</p><p>(Aka fate comes in all shapes and sizes, but sometimes it comes in the form of Takao standing drenched on Midorima's doorstep on a particularly (un)fortunate day.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, here I am with the first chapter of a 28k word fic that took almost a year to write. I purposefully used some cliched themes to try to put a fun spin on them. You will have to be the judge of whether I managed that or not. Written mostly for fun, but nothing will make me happier than seeing someone apart from myself enjoy my madness. I hope you're ready for the journey that ensues below!

"Good morning! This is Oha Asa." the well-known female voice rang from the speaker of Midorima's phone "Today is looking good for Cancer! You will learn about yourself through new experiences. However, avoid overworking yourself, or rest entirely if possible. Though hard work is important, you also need occasional breaks! Today, try to leave your comfort zone in encounters with others. Do not miss any opportunities which may arise. You will not regret them later! Today you will get along particularly well with Scorpio! Your lucky item is a spoon!"

Midorima tapped the return button on his phone, successfully muting the familiar voice.

"Scorpio and rest, huh?" he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his brows furrowed "As if those two could ever occur together..."

His skepticism was especially accurate to the particular Scorpio named Takao. The only way he could 'get along well' with him and rest at the same time, was if they never met for the duration of the whole day. And for the moment, this scenario seemed most probable.

It was one of those few days in the year, when the players of Shuutoku's basketball team were given a day off from the usual training. On any other day of this sort, Midorima would practice his shots nonetheless. Today, however, he was convinced to comply to the will of his horoscope and decided to stay at home. And he had to admit, he really did need some rest.

He threw a glance out the window. The late-summer sun was high in the sky and there was not a single cloud in sight. He almost regretted his decision of not leaving the house until he checked the weather forecast on his phone. A good 35 degrees Celsius. In the shade, of course. Training in such weather would be nothing more and nothing less than painful and unnecessarily exhausting. And so, his plan for the day was confirmed.

Or at least, the location. He never had a plan to begin with. Having woken up around 9 am, and eating breakfast soon after, he still had the whole day to facilitate. And not a single idea of how to spend it.

Somehow, through the combination of studying, reading the news and watching a few episodes of some psychological drama on TV, he managed to survive until 4 pm. It was around this time when a storm broke out, distracting Midorima from the sudoku he was attempting to solve. Usually, he wouldn't even bat an eyelash at a storm. They were common this time of year. Especially given such extreme temperatures. However this day was hardly usual at all.

When the first lightning struck followed by loud thunder a few seconds later, the young basketball player realized how painfully bored he was. He felt like he didn't achieve anything that day, which annoyed him more than anything else. Wasting time was one of his pet-peeves, and this day was nothing if not wasted. For a moment, he even considered, whether or not he should call Takao over. It would have been better than just sitting alone. Hell, his company could possibly make this day more than just an absolute waste of time. However, he quickly discarded that idea, and he found the sole fact that he even considered it disturbing. But apparently, that was the extent of his relentless boredom. He had no idea that his day was about to get much more interesting.

A sudden ring of the doorbell awoke him from his daydreaming. He glanced out the window. It was still raining as hard as ever. Who would bother paying him a visit in such weather? He promptly made his way to the door and opened it, only to discover the ever so teasing silver-blue hawk eyes behind it. And the owner of said eyes, standing nonchalantly on the doorstep, his usual smirk spread upon his lips.

"Hello there, Shin-chan." the black-haired male's smile widened as the words left his mouth.

At that moment, Midorima struggled with the sudden urge to slam the door shut right in his face. And if it weren't for the tiny bit of self-control he had left, he would have done it right away. He was certain he would regret this decision later. Though he knew very well only time could be the judge of that.

"What is it that you need?" the taller sighed with great effort. It was clear that Takao wanted something from him, as he usually did. It was better to get the question out of the way and avoid the unnecessary charades.

"Good to see you too." Takao mumbled in slight irritation, but quickly returned to his sweet tone of voice "Say, Shin-chan, you think you could let me in? It's getting kinda cold out here."

Midorima's stance on the topic from before hasn't changed. He desired to spend the day away from Takao, in order to rest from all of his teasing and plainly annoying behaviors. And he was going to be firm about this. He took a deep breath. "There's no way in hell, I would-" 'let you in' is what he was about to say. But at that moment, he took a solid glance at the team mate on his doorstep. He was wet from head to toe and his skin was pale to add to it. Upon noticing his shivering lips, which already began turning blue, he felt his strong will melt away like his original plans for the evening. "-let you stand there like that…" he uttered reluctantly with a sense of defeat clearly resounding in his voice.

"Really?" the shorter gave the other a disbelieving look "You aren't gonna argue about how you wanted to spend the day alone and all?"

"Just get in before I change my mind!" Midorima raised his voice in annoyance.

"Of course, Shin-chan. I wouldn't want to abuse your hospitality." The black-haired male laughed nervously and entered the small corridor as the taller shut the door behind him.

"You're completely soaked." Midorima noticed as droplets of water fell from his clothes, landing on the spotless wooden floor. And he really was. It weren't just wet patches on his clothing, he was actually wet. Hair, clothes, shoes. As if he weren't simply exposed to the water, but rather submerged in it instead.

"Observant as always, aren't you, Shin-chan?" the shorter teased with his trademark smirk.

"You do realize that I can still throw you out, right?" Midorima snapped immediately.

"Heh.. Sorry, it's a habit." Takao scratched his neck with an innocent smile.

The taller scaled him with his gaze once more and clicked his tongue, displeased.

"Take off your clothes." he commanded, adjusting his glasses.

"…Come again?" the shorter chuckled nervously in surprise, tumbling a step back.

"You're dripping all over my floor…" Midorima sighed and rolled his eyes "Wait here. I'll be back in a second."

"Oh, okay…" the other nodded, his expression still slightly clouded by confusion.

Before long Takao stood in Midorima's corridor dressed only in a pair of soaked boxers, his body shivering and twitching far more than he'd be willing to show. Luckily for him, his tall teammate emerged from a nearby room before he managed to get any colder.

"Would you care to explain how you ended up on my doorstep in such weather in the first place?" Midorima's voice rang from the other room.

"It's a b-bit of a long story, actually…" Takao tried to hide the steadily approaching hypothermia, but his distorted speech gave him away all too easily.

"Summarize it then." He heard the voice colder than his own body begin slowly approaching him.

"You know the market 3 blocks from here, right? They have the best seafood and vegetables in town. I was planning to cook something nice for dinner. Thought I'd make it home before the storm. Guess what? I didn't." the shorter chuckled in his usual way "Your house was closer than mine, so I figured I'd stay here until the storm passes, and while I'm at it provide you some company. It must've been such a boring day for you without me by your side, am I right, or am I right, Shin-chan?"

Even on the verge of hypothermia, he never lost his attitude. As expected of the Scorpio.

"You're mistaken, as always." Midorima denied firmly. There was no way in hell he would admit that seeing Takao felt like somewhat of a relief from the never-ending, painfully unproductive day-off. "Catch."

He threw a small stack of carefully folded fabric at the shorter male. Takao, being the amazing point guard that he is, caught it with natural ease. Upon further investigation, the stack appeared to consist of a large towel and a slightly run-down T-shirt, as well as a pair of tracksuit shorts.

"You may take a hot shower or a bath. Whichever you prefer." the taller averted his gaze off his teammate, in order to avoid any eye-contact, which at that point he felt would be plainly awkward. It's not like he was worried about his health or anything of the sort. But losing an important teammate due to something as silly as a cold was not an option. Or so he told himself. "You know where the bathroom is, I presume?"

His presumption was certainly a valid one. Takao has made himself at home in his house on plenty occasions in the past. Yet this time, he lingered on the corridor longer than ever before.

"Oi, Takao." Midorima called him back to earth from his sudden space-out. Just then did he realize that he was staring blankly at the tall figure in front of him, his mouth slightly agape. He easily saw through Shin-chan's mannerisms of the tsundere that he was (as to be expected from the owner of a pair of hawk eyes) and noticed a rare feeling for him. Care? He never even imagined he could invoke such a feeling from the cold basketball-freak. The sudden kindness successfully froze him in his tracks. He concluded that the team's ace was in fact, _worried_ of all things. Just for a moment he allowed himself to be impressed by his partner's unusual cuteness.

Takao snapped back quickly and slowly began making his way in the direction of the bathroom. "Hey, Shin-chan" he called with the gentlest, most sincere smile he could muster "Thank you. I really appreciate it."

Midorima only nodded, taking a deep breath, as the shorter entered the bathroom and closed the door behind him. It wasn't until he could hear the water running that he released the air he held in his lungs. He rested his back against the wall, and allowed his body to slowly sink to the ground. Staring into the cool late afternoon air, he could feel a small blush form on his cheeks. As much as he hated to admit, he couldn't deny it for long. That was a ridiculously adorable smile and somehow, it shook him far deeper than it should.

Fortunately for him, the thought left him as suddenly as it had appeared. It was such nonsense after all. He figured the lack of human contact for the whole day threw his mimic interpretation off balance, and a simple grin appeared to be the 8th wonder of the world. There must have been a rational explanation. Unless, it was simply the horoscope beginning to prove its sincerity. 'Get along particularly well with Scorpios'… just how well could they get along? For the time being he would never even _consider_ imagining they would end up 'getting along' as well as they would that evening.

As Takao took his well-deserved bath and Midorima snapped back to reality from his moment of weakness, he suddenly acknowledged the shopping bag standing next to the door. That's right. The only reason the black haired male found himself at Midorima's house that afternoon was supposedly because of the contents of that bag. That and Takao's lack of judgment skills, but that was an innate trait of his.

Midorima stood up and glanced out the window. It didn't look like it was going to stop raining anytime soon. There was no way he'd let Takao leave in such weather. If worse came to worst, he'd let him stay the night. But at the moment, there was a more pressing issue; His fridge was practically empty and his plans for grabbing something for dinner at the nearest convenience store were successfully thwarted by the weather.

That was until he looked back at the ground. The shopping bag on the floor beside the entrance, to be precise. Takao mentioned he ventured out to buy some food for dinner. Upon further investigation through a peek inside, Midorima was certain they would survive the rest of the day with a… salad? The contents of the bag consisted mostly of vegetables, so that was the first thing that came to his mind. Then again, he was an incredibly lousy cook – the type who'd easily burn water, and barely handled an automatic rice-cooker. He couldn't help, but silently wish that Takao would be the one to handle the cooking for the two of them tonight. Naturally, his fragile ego wouldn't survive actually _asking_ Takao to cook, so all he was left with was hope.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, it looks like I'm slightly past deadline with the new chapter... Forgive me, guys, I've been away for the whole week and had little time to make final edits and beta my work today, which is why it's delayed and why there might still be some minor mistakes in the text. Still, please don't give up on me~ I can't thank you enough for the sole fact that you're here again, actually wanting to read my stuff! Thank you, you all deserve a cookie.

As he straightened up from over the bag, Midorima heard the door to his bathroom open, and an audible sigh shortly after. Takao stood in the doorway, drying off his hair with a part of the towel laying on his shoulders. The taller spared him a good glance. He was wearing the change of clothes which Midorima gave him. And he looked… oddly adorable. _Disgustingly_ adorable, in fact. The t-shirt hung on him loosely and reached all the way to his upper thighs and the shorts were… hardly _short_ anymore. This wasn't as much of a surprise to his teammate. After all, there was a 19 centimeter difference in their height.

Despite trying to find the smallest garment he owned, his efforts were proved meaningless, in view of the fact that he was a fan of rather loose t-shirts himself. On any other day, the sight of Takao in oversized clothing would have probably caused a disregarding smirk, if anything, considering how ridiculous he looked. But today clearly wasn't just any other day. Upon seeing him, dressed the way he was, his heart skipped a beat. That was the surprising part. And he could hardly deny; Takao really did look somewhat cute in that (if he even dared to use the 'c' word). That was the disturbing part. Fortunately, a deep breath calmed him down and chased the odd thought away. For the time being, at least. And that was the part that would change sooner than he could anticipate.

Out of the blue, Takao let the towel drop to the ground and trotted over to Midorima. The next thing he knew, the latter felt a pair of arms pressing down on his shoulder, the sudden momentum forcing him into a lower stance. Without any further warning, the shorter pressed his lips against his cheek tenderly. A few gentle words followed "Thanks, Shin-chan. That hot bath was really great. I feel like I'm born anew!". There was a clear teasing note in the tone of his voice, but it was so mismatched with the meaning and the sweetness of his words, that the taller could hardly tell whether he actually meant it, or was simply another one of his silly jokes.

On first impulse, Midorima wanted to nudge him away with his elbow, or at least shrug him off the way he usually did. As far as teasing went, he could survive it, but _this_. This made him extremely uncomfortable every time. And that always made Takao really happy. It seemed to be his favorite way of teasing. Favorite to the extent where he would use it rarely, so that his target couldn't get used to it. And he himself didn't mind doing it, considering the prospect of seeing the embarrassment and slight disgust on Midorima's face. Admittedly, the point guard was quite a bully. But only in the case of his precious 'Shin-chan'. A truly curious case indeed.

This time was supposed to be no different to his regular reaction. Or so he planned initially. But just as he was about to shrug him off, he suddenly remembered the words of Oha Asa. 'Today, try to leave your comfort zone in encounters with others.' Well, the Oha Asa was never wrong, so… naturally, there must have been something to it. Even if it was Takao… No, no. Exactly _because_ it was Takao, it had to be right. He was a Scorpio after all. As much as Midorima disliked the idea of broadly-defined 'getting along well' with him, he couldn't act against destiny. He tried that a few times in the past and discovered fighting against destiny had had rather unpleasant consequences.

And thus, he somehow managed to suppress a gag reflex in the back of his throat, and without attempting to break away from the shorter he spoke with the most intimidating expression he could muster. "I certainly hope your rebirth hasn't left a mess in my bathroom."

The black-haired would have been incredibly disappointed not seeing his favorite reaction, if not for the fact that Shin-chan trying to keep an indifferent look, while having a lovely rosy blush on his cheeks was a greatly entertaining sight. He chuckled and let go of the taller's shoulder in response.

"Come on Shin-chan, I can clean up after myself alright." He stretched his arms behind his head in his usual seemingly bored way. "Besides-"

He didn't get to finish his thought as a sudden growl of Midorima's stomach drowned out his voice successfully. It echoed throughout the room for a few seconds before Takao burst into a hysterical laughter.

"Say, Shin-chan, are you hungry?" he managed to ask as soon as he got a hold of himself.

"…Not particularly. Why do you ask?" his teammate replied, looking away at the wall. Avoiding eye-contact was one his best pride-preserving techniques.

Unfortunately, it wouldn't work for too long with Takao around. "Yes, of course, Shin-chan, how could I even question you?" he spoke as his overjoyed face suddenly covered Midorima's view of the lovely piece of architecture known as a plain beige wall. "But why don't we just go check out what's in your fridge, alright? You know, for fun."

The shorter swiveled around his friend's large frame, heading for the kitchen. Just when he was about to enter the room, he grabbed Midorima by the hand. "Come on, you're going with me." The point guard chuckled, pulling him alongside.

Midorima followed reluctantly. He hasn't eaten anything since lunch and it was almost 6 pm already. As if that wasn't enough of a humiliation, now Takao would learn of his empty fridge. The day was slowly but surely taking a turn for the worse. He was already starting to regret his decision of letting his annoying teammate in. The only somewhat reassuring thing was the shorter's warm hand gently, yet firmly holding his own. Always a nice feeling, even if a little awkward coming from Takao, of all people.

Having reached the fridge, the point guard let go of his friend's hand and instead formed a tight grip on its handle. After one solid tug the door flew wide open, revealing its clean shelves. It really was empty. All except for a can of red bean soup on one of the racks.

"Shin-chan…" Takao started clearly disappointed "I can't even leave you alone for one day, without you going hungry. Do you really need to make me worry about you?"

This time, for a change, he didn't sound like he was kidding. Midorima raised one of his eyebrows in slight confusion "It's not like you have to worry about me. I can take care of myself perfectly fine."

"With one can of soup? Seriously?" the shorter scoffed with an oddly serious face. But a moment later his expression softened and relaxed into an indulgent smile "Well, it's too late now. I guess I'll just have to share my fish and veggies with you then." Just then, he looked up into Midorima's eyes with his kind gaze and lightly ruffled his hair, the tender smile never leaving his lips.

"I'll go get them." He announced heading for the corridor. And thank God he did, thought the taller. The look on his face and that Goddamn smile were a little too much to take in at once. Midorima quickly poured himself a glass of water, and downed it before his black-haired teammate made his way back into the kitchen. That was dangerous. That was extremely dangerous. He needed to take a few deep breaths to get over that little pat on the head. Such a small action, yet so effective… The horoscope slowly began proving its sincerity.

"Well, at least we'll have a proper meal for once, instead of the usual conbini dishes at your place." Takao spoke, returning with the bag and placing it on the counter top. The taller would have taken offence from that comment, if not for the fact, it wasn't far from the truth, to say the least. (And to say the most, it hit home a little too hard). Conbini meals have become the regular routine for whenever Takao came around to hang out. They were quick and easy to make and, on the most part, rather savory. Or at least, as savory as pre-cooked meals can be. But most importantly, they didn't require Midorima to show off his cooking skills (or rather, the lack of thereof), so it came as no surprise they became the norm with Takao around. But perhaps it really would be good to have a meal cooked on the spot for a change.

Without further ado, Takao emptied his plastic bag onto the countertop. The contents of the now-empty bad were as follows: one bulb of garlic, one decently sized ginger root, one cabbage head, one small package of bean sprouts, a single carrot, a single onion, a single green pepper, and a few pieces of raw salmon in a small container covered with some plastic foil.

Seeing this rather flimsy collection of seemingly random bits of food, Midorima frowned, wrinkling his eyebrows in confusion. He turned to his partner in hopes of some sort of explanation. He may have had little to no knowledge of cooking, but this ensemble didn't ring even a single bell in his gourmet instinct. Though the chances were high it was another one of Takao's 'original recipes', which he seemed to have been passionately creating for the past few months or so. The point guard however, examined the ingredients with a focused gaze, as if he himself just saw them for the very first time, as if he weren't the one to actually buy them. The taller only sighed, rubbing his temples. Responsible grocery shopping was apparently too much to expect of Takao.

"What is it exactly that you were planning to cook with this?" Midorima finally voiced his thoughts after a few long seconds of silence, broken only by the shorter's thoughtful hums. Upon hearing his voice Takao suddenly snapped.

"Well, I was hoping to make some Okonomiyaki at home, for which I only needed a few more ingredients, and I would have very well done so if not for this sudden, never-ending, plot-convenient storm. And sure, I could make some Okonomiyaki here just with this, but you probably don't haven even any usual flour, not to mention the proper Okonomiyaki flour, so just give me a second to figure out what I can do with what we have, Shin-chan. Unless you'd rather just go hungry for the rest of the night." The shorter explained somewhat apologetically, but the irritation in his voice was clearly audible. Even he got tired of Midorima's huge ego sometimes.

"I may not have flour, but I do have rice. You can definitely make something with that." Midorima snapped back, feeling personally offended at the implication that it's his fault for being an awful cook and not holding on to any sort of flour. "Stop complaining and start thinking."

"Why do I even bother-" Takao shook his head powerlessly, reconsidering the terms of their weird friendship until he suddenly bit down on his lip, as a smirk reappeared on his lips and an idea dawned in his mind.

"Hey, Shin-chan," he began, his sugarcoated voice back in action "What'd you say for some Yasai Itame?"

"Stir fried vegetables?" Midorima questioned as if he had suddenly forgotten his relatively vast knowledge of Japanese cuisine. "But isn't that usually made with pork? And without rice?"

"We can mix and match a bit. No sense being picky in times of crisis." The point guard sent him a brief wink "Besides, have I ever made something you wouldn't enjoy? Have some faith in me and you'll get a nice balanced dinner in no time."

Thinking back to all the times Takao shared his delicious self-made bento with Midorima was oddly uncomfortable all of a sudden, yet the taller couldn't think of anything else. And the fact that his partner was correct hurt his pride more than anything at the moment.

"Fine." Midorima sighed in exhaustion "Don't disappoint me."

"I wouldn't even dare." Takao assured, his trademark grin gracing his lips yet another time that evening "And you're going to help me. Just don't disappoint yourself, Shin-chan."

Before he could open his mouth and express any sign of protest, the taller's stomach reminded both of them of its existence devoid of anything digestible. The black-haired only smiled indulgently and shook his head.

"Come on, Shin-chan. If we both put our efforts into it, it'll be faster than if I were to do it alone. And the sooner we start, the sooner we'll get to satisfy that crazy appetite of yours."

Midorima considered it for a second. Nope. There was no way he was going to embarrass himself with his cooking. "No, I think I'd rather let you-"

"I won't make you cook anything. Promise." Takao climbed his toes in order to look his Shin-chan dead in the eyes, in the last effort to convince him.

"…Fine." He let his gaze run to the ceiling. Being 19 centimeters taller came with its own benefits.

Without looking back down, he heard Takao's signature sly snicker followed by a few words. "Alright, let's get down to it."

The point guard soon disappeared from below Midorima and instead began hustling around the spacey kitchen. He easily located the frying pan, alongside a few sharp knives, perfectly fit for slicing vegetables. Next off, he quickly found the ever so full sack of rice, which never seemed to become any thinner than the time he saw it last. Here he found two potential factors to blame, either it was Shin-chan's protein-focused diet, or the fact he could handle a rice cooker only under the supervision of a fire squad. He figured it was both and brought the rice to the counter top as well, forcing it to join the rest of the bizarre gathering of food articles.

"I sure hope you kept the spices I stashed over at your place or we'll be having a bland dinner tonight." Takao warned opening one cupboard door after another.

"Top left by the sink." Midorima spoke, his hands crossed on his chest. He may have been a lousy cook, but a properly spiced meal was a must.

"Ah, there they are." The shorter cooed at the sight. He reached out and placed the salt, pepper, soy sauce and vegetable oil, one by one by the stove. At first glance, it may have seemed odd to keep vegetable oil and spices all in one place, but it wasn't that much of a surprise to Takao. After all, it was Shin-chan - the person who placed all liquids contained in a bottle that were neither water nor tea in one place, thinking they must have all come down to one use, or spicing, to be precise. That was also the reason for the presence of a never-opened bottle of maple syrup or a jar of home-made jam in the cupboard. He really wasn't as orderly as he may have seemed.

"You do have a cutting board, right?" he asked, having a nice good look though each and every drawer in his vicinity.

"Bottom right-" Midorima only sighed, before he was cut off.

"Never mind, found it." Takao waved in disregard, drawing the decently sized wooden cutting board to the counter top.

"Alright then, Shin-chan" he whispered in a nearly seductive tone, his lips as close to Shin-chan's ear as high he could climb his toes. He took one of the knives and placed it in Midorima's hand in an overly tender manner. "You think you can manage cutting the cabbage leaves into 2 inch squares and thinly slicing the rest of the veggies?"

"Tch. Of course I can." The taller clicked his tongue, adjusted his glassed forcefully and focused on the greenery on the cutting board.

If there was anything more mismatched than Takao's tone and the words he spoke, it must have been Midorima's tough composure and his lightly shaking hands. God, was he toying with him. And the poor fellow could hardly even play along with his 'you-really-are-an-idiot-if-you-think-that-could-ever-work-on-me' act, considering that it was, in fact, starting to affect him one way or another; His flushed ears being the perfect example.

This of course didn't go unnoticed by Takao, though for the time being his only reaction was a satisfied smirk. This would be an awfully long and terribly fun evening. The way it all turned out certainly did fit that description, though perhaps not entirely the way the two high schoolers had imagined.

But at the moment, Midorima was busy with his pragmatic cabbage-leaf cutting, and Takao already started heating the pan on the stove. It wasn't long before the pan was hot and ready to fry some salmon and vegetables, yet the taller was still struggling with the cabbage leaves. He only managed to slice about three quarters of all the leaves, despite the rather small size of the vegetable. Takao only leaned with his hand on the counter top, watching Shin-chan's slow and focused slices in slight concern mixed with a significant dose of amusement. He only shook his head indulgently, his eyes never leaving Midorima's busy hands. It was truly fascinating how much effort the tall basketball freak put into something so simple.

"Shin-chan, you look like you could use some help." Takao finally voiced his thought, his signature smirk taking it righteous position on his lips.

"It would certainly help if you could stop staring at my hands." Midorima grumbled more to himself than to the point guard beside him. As if precise cutting wasn't enough pressure on him on its own.

"I'm just saying we could probably get it done faster if I were to give you a hand." Takao replied innocently, as if he weren't completely questioning Midorima's slicing skills. Meanwhile, the taller has already proceeded to the onion.

"I said, I'm fine- Shit." Right as he spoke, the knife slipped on surface of the vegetable and instead of the onion sliced through the soft flesh of Midorima's index finger.

"Thanks a lot, idiot. It's all your fault, you know?" the taller raised his injured hand, properly showing off the tiny wound, which slowly began to bleed more than could be expected of its size.

"Yes, of course. Just blame it all on me, if it makes you feel better." Takao nodded bearing an oddly gentle smile. He didn't really mind taking the responsibility. He guessed the onion might have made Shin-chan's eyes a little cloudy with tears, thus causing his hand to slip. Whether it was the onion or his words, the taller now had a lightly cut finger and someone would have to take care of it.

"Come here, Shin-chan." Takao called out sweetly. However, he didn't wait for Midorima to judge whether coming closer was a good idea or not and instead made his way to him swiftly. He reached out and took the taller's to have a better look at the cut finger. The wound really was miniscule, even if the bleeding suggested otherwise. He exchanged glances with Midorima, who attempted to keep his cool composure, while still trying to victimize himself and pour the guilt onto Takao. There was one thing left for the point guard to do.

Takao gently lifted his hand and, as tenderly as he possibly could, licked off the drop of blood from the tip of Shin-chan's index finger. And as if that wasn't nerve-wracking for Midorima on its own, he allowed himself a tiny kiss, laid upon the wound. A warm smile followed. And at that moment, Midorima was certain of one thing. He would go mad that evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well then, how will these events develop? Let's hope it won't be absolutely cliche (which I will do my best to prevent).
> 
> I hope to see you here next week, and this time I'll hopefully make it on time. Have a lovely week!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, look at that, I managed to get the new chapter out earlier than planned! I figured I should make up for last week. Anyways, I'll try to stay on top of my schedule from now on. If of course you are still interested in my randomness. Thank you for being patient and I hope you enjoy this next chapter~

"Oi, Takao!" he snatched his hand back violently, silently hoping his blush wasn't as visible as hot it felt on his cheeks. His hopes were futile, as Takao's pleased grin, clearly indicated otherwise.

"Aw, relax, Shin-chan. I'm just trying to help you." Takao assured sweetly, opening one of the drawers. This time around he was lucky enough to find the one he was looking for; that being the drawer containing all sorts of drugs and sanitary utensils, among them band aids. He removed one from the small cardboard packet, swiftly removed the paper cover and pulled Midorima's hand closer to his eyes. With another quick move, the band aid was successfully secured on the taller's finger, preventing any more potential bloodshed.

"There. Was that so bad?" the point guard asked, the teasing tone fully equipped alongside one of the cutest expressions in his arsenal. That way, the taller could no longer stay mad at him. Quite ironically, this was incredibly infuriating for Midorima. He really wanted to at least seem the tiniest bit pissed, with his usual intimidating aura radiating through the room and menacing eyes piercing through the flesh of the point guard, but however hard he tried he couldn't draw it out, and the only thing radiating in the kitchen were his bright red cheeks. But today was clearly the day, when every single thing has turned his back on him, his body included. The horoscope was not going to let him off the hook so easily.

"Let's just get back to the vegetables already." Midorima sighed laboriously, picking up the knife he cut himself with only a few minutes ago.

"Yeah, about that: no. How about I handle the rest of the cooking for today, hm? Otherwise there's a pretty high chance you'll end up having both of your hands bandaged, and we wouldn't want that." Takao attempted to hold back a snicker, and did a rather lousy job on that. Having his 'lucky' hand bandaged as usual, was ridiculous enough. Doubling that toll, and for a medical reason on this occasion, was a laughable matter Takao could not pass up on. Besides, it was likely any more cut wounds would hinder his basketball skills, and the point guard didn't exactly want the whole team on his back for not watching out for their ace.

He snatched the knife from Shin-chan's hand and nudged him away from the cutting board with his hip. Midorima wanted to protest, considering how much of an insult to his pride would be letting Takao do everything on his own, hence proving he himself couldn't do anything properly, since even chores as simple as slicing vegetables ended in getting himself cut by accident. However, before he could even gather the words he wanted to pronounce, Takao was already slicing through the last pieces of the bell pepper. This wouldn't have stopped the ever so persistent Shin-chan, if not for the fact the point guard has already sliced the rest of the prepared greenery. Midorima couldn't help but stare.

"Close that mouth, Shin-chan or you'll swallow a fly or something." Takao chuckled at his reaction "Efficiency is a must if you want to get your meal done before midnight."

The taller quickly collected his jaw from the floor, but continued watching in unhidden amazement. "But how-?" he choked up the question, which in his state could be considered quite an achievement.

"I got a lot of practice preparing my bentos. If you want to have something to eat at school _and_ sleep in a bit, you've got to learn certain techniques." He shrugged as if it were no big deal that he could slice and dice half of a meal in under a minute. Midorima allowed himself to gawk for another minute or so, as Takao tossed the salmon on to the hot pan and added the vegetables one by one until his admiration faded away as quickly as it has originally appeared. Though until then, the point guard reveled in the silent praise and managed to steal a few glances himself, as an awe-struck Shin-chan was a rare and an oddly adorable sight.

It wasn't long before all the ingredients were nicely sprawled out on the pan and merrily frying away. Soon enough, they reached a light brown shade, signifying the swift end of the cooking process.

"Looks almost ready. Want to have a taste, Shin-chan?" Takao suggested, chopsticks armed and ready in his grip.

"Might as well." Midorima shrugged, extending his hand towards the chopsticks in the point guard's hand.

"Naww Shin-chan, let me do it." Takao pleaded sweetly and fished out a piece of salmon, sweeping a bit of the vegetables with it. "Now, say 'ah'."

"Huh? No, wait-" the taller made an attempt at protesting once more, and once more he was cut off, as the hand holding the food and the hand supporting it from below approached his face.

"Shin-chan, say 'ah'." Takao persisted, resolve now well-audible in his overly kind tone. As the rich smell reached Midorima's nostrils and he could feel his empty stomach quietly grumble for the hundredth time that evening, he hesitantly surrendered, slowly opening his lips.

To his surprise, the usually brash point guard, gently placed the food in his mouth, rather than forcing it in as he had imagined. He then slowly backed away, giving him time to chew and evaluate on the taste. He wasn't expecting much from such a rushed meal, which originally came to be from random bits of food after all, but its flavor completely overwhelmed him.

Whether it was caused simply by his hunger, or the cooking skills Takao actually wasn't lying about, the composition felt only barely short of perfect. It was truly amazing. And that's certainly saying something, coming from a person who's only ever considered homemade Red Bean soup amazing. Which basically meant this odd creation of Takao's placed closely to his all-time favorite food. And somehow, he was really grateful his partner was there to cook it for him. Though he'd rather die than put it into words, yet the way his eyes sparkled as he swallowed gave him away immediately.

"So, Shin-chan, how is it?" the point guard smiled softly, already certain of the answer.

"It's… Not bad." He needed the pause to figure out the best answer. It wasn't like he was going to swallow his pride along with the salmon and actually say what he thought. Dropping his cool composure now, out of all times, felt like a terrible idea.

Even so, Takao was perfectly satisfied with the answer, since even that much was a high compliment coming from Shin-chan. Besides, he already got the answer he wanted, and the discrepancy between the two was really quite an amusing one. He allowed himself a short snicker before posing another question.

"Do you think it's ready yet?"

"I don't know, why don't you try it yourself?" Midorima shrugged with disregard. He would prefer if Takao just stopped posing any and all questions whatsoever, on the off chance that he might somehow embarrass himself beyond redemption. But apart from that, wouldn't trying his own dish be a way quicker and efficient method of checking, than asking him, considering how little about cooking he knew himself?

"But I want to know whether you consider it good, Shin-chan. I don't mind how it tastes as long as you enjoy it." Takao spoke softly and smiled that tender smile of his, slightly titling his head to the side, adding to his overall irresistible charm.

"It's good. Let's just eat already…" Midorima mumbled, forcing his eyes to mingle and focus on the quietly sizzling pan. Seeing Takao acting so adorably made his chest burn up from the uncomfortably nice warm feeling he just couldn't shake off. He took a deep breath. He was perfectly fine. Just a little overwhelmed, that was it. Or so he told himself.

"Alright then. Let's get down to it." Takao cooed, taking the pan off the cooker. And just as he was passing Shin-chan, he 'accidentally' bumped into his side, 'accidentally' colliding his face with his chin, leaving a small kiss on Midorima's cheek, as a result of an 'accident', of course. The annoying warmth was back on his cheeks, in his chest, and he could swear even his ears felt warm. He couldn't help but perform a silent facepalm, fully aware of how pathetic it all was. With every minute he felt like letting Takao in was a terrible idea after all.

As Midorima considered his poor life choices, the point guard distributed the rice, (which he cooked while waiting for Shin-chan to finish torturing his greenery), along with the stir fried vegetables, making sure his partner got a bigger portion. Powering that giant body certainly took more energy than Takao's small slim features. Besides, it was Shin-chan who was starving at the moment. The decision felt obvious.

"Shin-chan, it's ready." He called to his attention, gently pulling his loose sleeve. Midorima immediately woke up from his daydreaming of the potential developments of the evening, shaking his head to clear any odd thoughts that could have possibly lingered.

The next moment, they both sat down by the dinner table, traditionally thanked for the meal, and began chopping away at their hills of rice, covered in well-cooked vegetables and salmon. And to Midorima's despair, it was absolutely delicious. It took him less than 5 minutes to clear his bowl, while Takao was still not even a quarter done. Though the taller already quenched his hunger, he couldn't help but stare at his partner's portion with burning desire. This couldn't possibly go unnoticed by Takao.

"You want some of mine, Shin-chan?" he asked, his indulgent smile spread across his lips.

"Ah, no. It's fine." He denied coolly, realizing only now that he has been staring for quite a bit longer than he thought. And yet he couldn't help but feel his mouth water on the thought of seconds.

"It's alright, I'm not that hungry anyway." Takao assured sweetly. Somehow, his voice didn't feel forced anymore. He was actually being nice, not teasing for once. A lovely improvement.

He scooped up some of the food in his chopsticks, and held out his hands the way he did a few moments earlier. "Say 'ah', Shin-chan." He chuckled lightly, expecting Midorima to wince and back away the way he did before.

None of that happened however, and, hesitant as it was, his partner opened his lips. Not a single word of protest came from him this time. He only allowed Takao to place it in his mouth, without putting much thought into it. The point guard didn't anticipate it in the least bit, but he couldn't complain. It was a rare sight, seeing Shin-chan's gentler side. And he couldn't help the grin spreading on his lips as he observed his stuck-up, cold, overly-serious partner honestly enjoying his meal. Such a silly little thing made him happier than he's ever been while teasing him. Was it just him, or did the air around them feel oddly warm?

As Midorima swallowed, the point guard placed a bit less than a half of the portion he had left into his partner's bowl. "There, eat up." He spoke gently as ever.

The taller didn't need another call to action. He was quick to consume what he was given, yet again. This time, he felt properly satisfied with his dinner. And more than anything, grateful. He couldn't wait to express it.

"Takao." He began quietly watching the point guard stop his chopsticks a few centimeters from his own mouth "Thanks."

And then, he did something, Takao could swear he saw for the first time since they met. He smiled. He _actually_ smiled. Sure, he's smirked before, maybe even snickered a few times in the past, but a genuine smile? And a straightforward one at that? This was truly incredible. For a few seconds Takao thought maybe it was just his mind playing a trick on him. Maybe it was just the lighting of the room? Maybe just an optical illusion? Anything. Anything, but a _smile_.

But there was no denying it. The one person he though was _physically_ incapable of smiling (if his cold, expressionless features were anything to go by) was doing just that. And Takao could swear, it reached every single nook and cranny of the room, his heart included. He couldn't help but return a grin, hoping he could watch that gorgeously lit up face of his partner for long hours to come.

The point guard hesitated for a second before reaching out his hand and gently stroking Shin-chan's cheek. He wasn't exactly sure why he did it. Perhaps just to make sure this was, in fact, real? And it certainly was. Perhaps even a little too real.

Because just like that, the spell was broken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for reading, and I hope to see you next week~
> 
> Have a good one!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, is it just me, or did this week feel really long? Well, either way I hope you were patient enough to survive until this weeks update.
> 
> This chapter is brought to you by the letters: B like Blushing and Blankets, as well as T like TV, and most importantly, the two letters ES like Evil Scorpio.
> 
> And with this introduction, I welcome you to this week's chapter. Enjoy! (and if you like these sort of intros then I'll be sure to add them to all chapters~)

It only took a few seconds after Takao touched him for Midorima's self-consciousness to come back at twice its usual force. His eyes shot wide open, gaze flying along the extended arm of his partner to its owner, whose face now changed from unusually pleased to the expression of someone caught red-handed. Shin-chan's jaw dropped a little. Takao allowed himself an awkward smile, as the other clenched his teeth. Suddenly, he realized what happened all too well. He let his guard down. He got lulled into compliance, not only allowing Takao to see him with his shield down and having his way with him, but also enjoying it a fair bit himself. And all of this by a goddamn bowl of stir fried vegetables at that.

This was getting bad. This was getting _really_ bad.

It was unthought-of, ridiculous, simply idiotic. His brain rushed with coming up with new synonyms. He knew the reason for this all too well, and almost regretted being so 'superstitious', as Takao called it. Just how was going along your fate superstitious? It was the most logical way to live by what the stars dictated. Nope, no superstition here.

Though at the moment, he could swear, he resented that goddamn horoscope and the goddamn stars in their goddamn positions. As hard as he tried to push them out of his mind, the words kept ringing in his head. 'Get along particularly well with Scorpios' she said. 'Leave your comfort zone' she said. 'You won't regret it later' she said. Well, he was already regretting the whole getting along thing, and Takao hasn't even done anything special from his usual teasing yet. Just how much worse would that evening get? How many more times would he have to blush like an idiot? How many more times would he have to look away from his partner? How many more times would he have to think Takao was so disgustingly cute?

It was so ridiculous. So absolutely preposterous, he could hardly even find words to describe it. He was at the brink of his tolerance for random stellar occurrences influencing his life in the way completely opposite of his wishes. If there were any Gods out there, he was sure they were having a blast watching him struggle with the inevitable, whatever that was going to be. It was so incredibly infuriating, yet Midorima knew perfectly well he couldn't act against what was coming. He didn't even care anymore. He knew fighting it off so badly would only make everything harder for him. It was a much better idea let stop worrying so much and letting it all go. He was overthinking it. It's not like there could possibly appear any deeper connection between him and Takao just like that. Nothing was going to happen if he just ceased to give a flying toss about anything Takao did. Yes, this way of thinking would save that evening from being a complete catastrophe.

Boy, was he mistaken.

Midorima grabbed the palm of Takao's hand, which still remained glued to his cheek, as if the point guard couldn't figure out how to get it off on his own. Takao received a short glare. Yet contrary to his dangerous look the taller only clicked his tongue in frustration and lowered his partner's hand, successfully pressing it down to the table. He spared an upward glance at the owner of the frivolous hand. His green eyes seemed to be threatening him with their deep shade.

"Don't do that." Midorima spoke slowly, emphasizing every single word. He was going to be serious. There was no way he was giving in so easily. He might have to go along fate's twisted path, but he certainly wasn't going down without a fight.

And admittedly, Takao could easily feel his strong resolve, despite sitting across the table. The chills running down his spine as the cold words reached him were rather difficult to hide. Shin-chan certainly did have his scary moments. But rather than fear Takao distinctly felt an upcoming challenge. A thrill came over his body. There was something exciting about those threatening eyes that usually could easily make blood set in your veins, that on this occasion sparked his interest. This wasn't his regular, run-of-the-mill Shin-chan.

Oh no, there was something special about _tonight_ that made his cold partner anxious. He's definitely just seen a sample of a Midorima he has never seen before. He was certain of that much. His soft side, huh? He had no idea what triggered it, (and in fact, had no idea Shin-chan had one in the first place) but he was sure as hell he was going to find out. Oh yes. Rather than feeling threatened he was only looking forward to bringing Midorima into that sweet state again.

The rest of the night was bound to be an amusing ride.

Even if a little bumpy.

Though, in truth, it wasn't just curiosity that drove Takao to Midorima's nicer side. There was something captivating about that part of him, something he genuinely liked. A sweet Shin-chan would certainly be a nice variation from the usual jerk. And who knows what else he was capable of? Not that Takao would take advantage of it… much. But hey, opportunities like these don't come often, so it couldn't have hurt to try.

"Sorry, Shin-chan. Didn't mean to make you mad." Takao shook his head apologetically with a gentle smile spread on his lips "Give me your bowl. I'll do the washing as an apology."

The angered eyes, which watched him closely as he spoke, seemed to have softened a bit. Midorima released a deep sigh, allowing his eyes to relax as he closed them for a brief moment. As soon as they were open and in focus again, he adjusted his glasses, stood up and picked up all the crockery, much to Takao's surprise. Without a word, he carried the bowls to the sink. As his partner looked at him rather baffled, Midorima threw him a side-long glance.

"Come over here. The bowls won't wash themselves." He commanded shortly and stepped off to the side, turning his gaze away.

Takao snickered. Of course Shin-chan wouldn't wash up himself. He couldn't risk 'exposing his precious hand to the effects of strong detergent' as he explained it on several occasions before. He had a dishwasher anyway, though doing it by hand was always faster. Unsurprisingly, Takao would be the one to get the infamous job of washing up whenever he came around. That never occurred without protest though, yet he always gave in in the end. The point guard guessed this time around, Midorima was actually trying to be nice. Or at least, as far as his superstition allowed him to.

"And here I thought you'd actually go ahead and do the washing yourself, but I guess there's only so much I can expect of good old Shin-chan, am I right?" he chuckled as he made his way over to the sink.

"Don't be ridiculous. I have no reason to help you. You were the one to cook, you'll be the one to clean up what's left." The taller pronounced in that matter-of-fact way of his, though Takao could sense it wasn't as confident as it usually was. Must have been an embarrassing experience for the poor little thing to actually show some kindness, the point guard thought. Also given the fact Midorima still didn't spare him a glance, despite standing less than half a meter away. And his ears were on fire with a blush even his semi-long hair couldn't hide. That gave him away rather quickly. Takao couldn't help wondering how much cuter his teammate could get.

The washing was performed quickly and efficiently, as today's meal was a rather humble one, and as it was, there wasn't much to wash. However this may also be owed to the fact Midorima volunteered to dry the plates himself, explaining with an anxious adjustment of glasses on his ever so red ears that "otherwise the bowls would take forever to dry due to the high humidity" or some other lousy excuse he attempted to make up on the go. Being kind, without throwing in an insult or a reason why he wasn't being nice because he _wanted_ to, was clearly a great challenge for him. Well, at least Takao couldn't complain that Shin-chan didn't stick to his tsundere nature, that's for sure. And seeing him struggle to keep his cool, serious façade was incredibly amusing in its own way.

When the washing was merrily dealt with Takao unlocked the screen of his phone and checked the time. Evening was well in progress, but it was still too early to go to bed. Some form of entertainment would be in order, if only as a pastime. And Takao already knew what _his_ form of entertainment would be.

"Say, Shin-chan, what do you wanna do now?" his easy-going tone resounded through the kitchen as he leaned on a countertop, the signature smirk gracing his lips.

Midorima only shrugged. He didn't really mind doing anything in particular. As long as it wasn't too close to Takao, that is.

"Come on, Shin-chan. I need some answer. Just don't say 'anything's fine'. That's way too boring." The point guard encouraged, seemingly reading his thoughts "Shall we watch TV or-?"

"We could play chess." Midorima sighed finally.

"TV it is then~" Takao cooed as he took his partner by the hand, only to drag him to his own living room.

"If you're just going to decide on your own then don't bother asking me, fool." He mumbled grumpily, as the warm hand wrapped around his fingers. It was oddly comforting, unlike the whole situation.

"Sorry, Shin-chan. I just really suck at chess." The point guard flashed him an apologetic smile. Midorima pondered the fact that he couldn't possibly be mad at him when he pulled that look off, and as frustrating as it was, it was somewhat calming. There was no real need to get upset either, so the taller couldn't really complain much.

While the taller released a heavy sigh, wondering whether he wasn't being unusually soft today, Takao took a good look through the window.

"Man, it's raining cats and dogs out there." He commented, watching the multitude of droplets hit the glass of the window. It didn't look like it was going to stop any time soon. Not that he wanted it to stop anyway. The fun was only about to begin after all. "Think it might be a typhoon?"

"It's not impossible. There were some storm warnings, but they might have not predicted it to be this bad." Midorima spoke attempting to cross his arms on his chest, only to notice, one of his hands was still captured in Takao's steady grip. And it hurt his pride immensely, but he couldn't deny that he didn't really mind it.

"Would you let me stay over for the night if the rain won't stop within the next hour or so?" the point guard turned around, flashing another one of his sweet smiles. It was truly terrifying how many different smiles, smirks and grins he could pull off. And it was especially terrifying how effective they were on Shin-chan.

"Do I really have a choice?" he sighed. The worse had already come to worst, since there was no way, a storm which could easily be tagged as a hurricane, could ease off after an hour or two. Of course, he could always pray. But there was no way he could pray his fate away. That thought killed any fighting spirit he had left. Thank gods, he still had some resisting spirit. "But at least call your parents or something. I don't want to get in trouble for hiding away their runaway son."

"Nah, they're pretty chill and they know you're a responsible guy, so they'd be alright even if I hadn't told them." Takao waved his hand with disregard. However, as his eyes met with that persistent, demanding gaze Shin-chan managed to master as Shuutoku's ace, he could only chuckle nervously as he reached for his phone. "Alright, I'll send them a text if you insist."

"Thanks." Midorima pronounced in his firm, serious way that barely sounded like a word of gratitude. However, the sole fact that he said it out loud was a rarity, reaching nearly a reason to celebrate. Seems like the stuck up, cold egoist, who thought he deserved everything, without needing to be thankful, was beginning to drop his mask, Takao noticed. As he finished tapping a few words out on the screen, he adjusted his plan for the evening, sending his partner another smile.

"So, what are we watching?" Takao asked playfully and proceeded to seat himself on the couch with a loud thud, grabbing the remote control on the way.

"Do I look like capable of clairvoyance to you?" Midorima grumbled, sitting down on the couch as far away from Takao as the piece of furniture allowed him to. Which unfortunately wasn't particularly far.

"Well, to be honest-"

"I think I don't want to hear an answer after all." The taller cut him off before he was able to drop one of the 'epic one-liners', as the point guard liked calling his new bad jokes. "Just flip through the channels until you find something that looks mildly interesting."

"Ice-cold as always, Shin-chan." Takao only shook his head indulgently, and turned on the TV. He complied to his partner's will and did as requested. He flipped through a few news broadcasts, two Japanese game shows, a reality show, a re-run of Sword Art Online, a pretty bad comedy and an action movie which ended literally as he changed the channel, until he finally reached a romantic comedy which looked promising enough to keep them awake and perhaps even somewhat amused until bedtime.

Of course, it wouldn't be the _only_ thing keeping them up until bedtime. And Takao would make sure of it.

As the movie slowly went by, the point guard made tiny advancements on the couch, gradually scooting towards Midorima. The taller was either too focused on the movie to notice, or already noticed but chose to ignore his partner, as that could only encourage him to decrease the distance between them even further. It was only until Takao was around an inch away from leaning onto him, that he finally decided to shuffle his body to the end of the sofa, practically leaning his whole body onto the arm rest. The shorter only pouted. This evening wouldn't go as smoothly as he had hoped. Then again, Shin-chan's reaction only proved his methods must have had some effect on him. The smirk reappeared on his lips.

"Man, your house is so cold…" he spoke all of a sudden, theatrically wrapping his arms around his torso and shivering "I bet you don't even need AC in here in summer when your heart is so cold it can chill the whole house."

"Please keep talking if you wish to find yourself out in the rain again." Midorima said calmly, not bothering to take his eyes off the screen for even a second. Oh, a threat. This was getting interesting.

"Come on, Shin-chan," Takao began with his sweet, pleading tone "Would it hurt you to spare me one blanket?"

Midorima sighed and adjusted his glasses. "Fine." Fell from his lips like the first petals of cherry blossoms in spring; in the same way it meant the end of him, and the beginning of something beautiful on an entirely different level.

He reached out under the coffee table, finally looking away from the screen, as Takao noted, only to pull out a thick, properly folded plaid blanket. He watched it for a second, as if considering his next move. It's not like Takao could have planned anything that would feature the use of a blanket. What could he plan anyway? Thinking about it was pointless, Midorima figured, reluctantly passing the blanket to his partner. Little did he know, that the blanket would make _all_ the difference.

"Thanks, Shin-chan." the point guard hummed, unfolding the large piece of cloth. It turned out to be larger than he had initially assumed; perfect for two people, actually. How convenient. He would be sure to use that fact as soon as he got the opportunity. Which meant very soon.

He didn't waste any time, and within a few seconds he was cozily wrapped up in the blanket, head to toe. Initially, he didn't think the room was particularly cold and the move was only a part of his scheme, but only after he was secured in the warm fabric, he realized the air has cooled noticeable since the ridiculously hot morning and afternoon. With his legs up on the sofa and curled under his body, he was sure to be nice and comfortable from now on. "Thank you, Shin-chan." he cooed once more, as if to confirm he was perfectly satisfied.

"You're welcome." Midorima nodded reluctantly. Ohh, what was that? An actual, _polite_ response? How incredibly fascinating, coming from Midorima of all people. Of course, he wasn't _always_ rude. He seemed more civilized around seniors, teachers and adults in general. However, he was nearly always rude to Takao. Until now, that is. Could he have completely relaxed and let his guard down already? Before the point guard even got into the thick of his plan? Unbelievable. Albeit convenient, it was still extremely rare. However today seemed like the day the planets lined up in a way opening a new pathway for Takao. It must have been his lucky day. And the light blush radiating from Shin-chan's ears only seemed to confirm it.

Just as Midorima focused his eyes on the screen, he thought Takao must have been satisfied for now. He wasn't exactly sure how he wanted to tease him with the whole blanket ruckus, but perhaps he only wanted an opportunity to use the joke about his cold heart. Fortunately, this didn't afford him any more reaction than a sigh, so he could assume he was the winner this round.

Besides, it's not like he actually had a cold heart, sure he might have been a little cool in his relations with others but it couldn't have been that bad, he reasoned with himself. Takao liked to overemphasize things too, so it couldn't have been true. Yes, perhaps he wasn't the warmest person out there, but he was certainly not ice-cold. It's only that no one sparked any proper heat in him yet. Though admittedly, the one person that got him closest to that sort of feeling was… No, no, obviously it wasn't Takao, that was a ridiculous thing to think. Midorima briefly shook his head, in a hope of shaking off the thought. As literal as it was, it seemed to work for the moment. He allowed himself a glance at his partner.

Takao sat beside him, comfortably snuggled in the blanket. He seemed to be enjoying the movie. Midorima smiled on impulse. He could hardly deny, when he wasn't speaking or performing any other bothersome acts, he actually looked cute. He couldn't help but stare, as the lights of the screen flickered in his steel blue eyes, slightly covered by his messy bangs. A light smile crossed his lips once in a while, as the movie continued with its romantic comedy gags. The taller already managed to forget what the movie was about; he only wanted to enjoy the moment for a bit. As he noticed a lock of hair falling into the hawk eyes he took the time to admire, his first reaction was to immediately brush it away. This turned out to be a terrible decision.

As he reached out to fix Takao's hair, his partner was already on the job, fixing it behind his ear. Before Midorima managed to fully realize what he was actually doing and retract his hand, Takao's hawk eyes caught his hand in mid-air. He threw him a questioning glance, followed by an oddly happy smile "What were you about to do, Shin-chan?" he asked gently.

"Nothing." He answered bluntly, looking away from the voice which brought him back to reality. That was close. A little too close, in fact. He could already feel the growing blush on his cheeks. How could he lose focus so easily? For yet another time, at that. Things were getting out of hand. He wouldn't be able to hide it all much longer. And all of these weird behaviors weren't even his fault. For once, he felt completely abandoned by luck. Maybe there was still a place where he could find a giant spoon as his lucky item to protect him from the evil Scorpio on his sofa.

The evil Scorpio on the other hand couldn't complain about his luck in the least bit. The next opportunity he was looking forward to came to him earlier than expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my, now that Takao knows there's something off with Shin-chan, what might he do next?
> 
> That, you will learn next week.
> 
> Ciao, and have a good one~


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another weekend approached us, and so did a new chapter~
> 
> As always, I appreciate your patience and weekly support and hope you'll enjoy another batch of fluffy cliches.
> 
> PS-Once the whole fic is complete I'll put some proper notes in here, not just the same old randomness. But for now, allow me to indulge me a lil' because I'm always clueless during updates.

"Don't say 'nothing', when I can see it's something." Takao began softly, sending his partner a gentle smile "Something's wrong, right? You're also cold, aren't you? Come on, I'm sure both of us can fit under the blanket."

As he spoke, he managed to free his hand from the piece of cloth and pealed himself out of the comfortable cocoon. He didn't really mind sharing, he wasn't particularly cold either, and it was all part of the plan. And it seemed to be going spot-on.

He slowly pulled the blanket onto Midorima, carefully watching his reactions.

"N-no, I'm fine. You can keep it, I don't really care." Shin-chan stuttered lightly, turning his head to stare at the wall, and most importantly, _not_ looking at Takao. Even so, the shorter could easily tell he was blushing like mad. The great Midorima of the Generation of Miracles was finally properly flustered. This was a success in itself. Though of course, Takao couldn't just stop _there_.

"Naw, come on, Shin-chan. I can tell something's bothering you. And what else could it possibly be if not the cold?" the point guard persisted, his voice sweet and comforting, virtually luring Midorima into his trap.

"No, it's nothing. Don't let it bother you." The taller evaded the question, but spared him a glance. That didn't do him much good however, as his unusually cute expression forced him to turn away again.

"So, it's something else? Well, then I'd love to hear about it." he announced cheerfully. To be perfectly fair, he knew exactly what Midorima was doing until the moment he stopped his hand right above his head. Takao may have been watching the movie, but nothing could escape his hawk eyes. He saw perfectly well how his partner watched him with the gentle eyes and a soft smile the point guard had never seen before. He could feel that the innocent admiring gaze nominated him as someone _precious_ in Midorima's eyes. And the way he reached out his hand right when Takao's hair covered his eyes was special in some way too. This was not a coincidence. It couldn't be. As much as he could try to lie himself out of the situation, Midorima was now cornered. It was absolutely clear something was on tonight and Takao was really close to discovering what it was. That, however would take some gentle 'persuasion' from his side.

As Midorima remained silent, the point guard scooted a little closer "So, tell me Shin-chan. I'd love to help if I can." He spoke softly, actually managing to sound concerned _and_ comforting to the point of surprising even himself. He wasn't exactly sure whether he was just a good actor or maybe he really gained some sort of deeper interest in his odd partner. He dismissed it as a mix of both, considering the unusual situation.

"It's nothing concerning you." He uttered finally. What a bad liar he was.

"Hmm? So you don't want to tell me, huh?" Takao pulled off the most convincing voice he could. "That's a little sad, but it's fine. I guess I don't really need to know. But then, I'd like something in return. How about that?"

"Like what?" Midorima finally turned his head around. His blush was almost gone. Almost.

"Let's say I won't ask you about it anymore, and we'll just assume that you're just cold. But in exchange, you'll join me under the blanket." He grinned with a hint of excitement. He couldn't really deny the fact he was a manipulative bastard. Then again, if his techniques actually worked, he could only be proud of that title. Besides, it wasn't a big request. Just a lil' bit of alone time under the blanket. "I mean, that's only the right thing to do if Shin-chan's cold, right?"

Perhaps he wasn't particularly cold, but at that moment, Midorima felt his body freeze in place. Could Takao have actually figured out the truth about tonight? No way, he may have dropped his usual mask a few times, but it couldn't have possibly been enough for the point guard to understand the whole situation so soon. Of course, he was absolutely not going to explain it to him. But if that was the case, he'd have to choose the blanket. He was certain Takao would attempt to cuddle or do something equally ridiculous in that case. No, no, that was definitely out of the question. Who knows what else of his kind self (that he was certain was nonexistent before, or at least really well hidden) he could show by accident if that were to happen. That was way too dangerous.

Then again, Takao would find another method to make him speak and tell him the whole story. He wanted to think of a convincing lie on the side, but his thoughts were all over the place and he couldn't think up anything of substance. Was this it? Would this ultimatum make him show what he wanted to hide so hard? But what choice did he have. He could only ignore his partner for as long as possible and focus on acting cool and serious, like always. It wasn't yet a given that he'd be read like an open book if he did agree to the blanket option. He'd have to surpass his limits, but he was going to do it, as long as Takao wouldn't know the truth. Not that Midorima fully realized the truth himself yet, but he certainly felt what was brewing. And it was nothing good for him.

"Then perhaps I'm a little cold after all." The taller released a deep sigh. Takao's eyes lit up immediately. Before he could say anything else, Shin-chan was already tightly wrapped up in the thick blanket. With Takao plastered to his side, that is. This was certainly going to be a challenge.

"I knew it was nothing serious after all." he cooed joyfully. It seemed like Midorima chose the longer option, but at the same time, the more interesting one. Oh, the point guard was certainly going to have fun with this one.

He started off slowly; only pressing himself into Midorima's arm. He couldn't scare him off in the first minute after all. He took his sweet time performing the 'finding the most comfortable position' act until his head was resting on his partner's arm and their bodies were touching in the biggest surface area possible. Midorima seemed pretty calm through all of it, but Takao could tell he was silently clenching his teeth. His breath also seemed rather heavy and although he could easily pass it off as being too warm under the blanket, given the situation, the real reason seemed obvious. On top of that his face was turning an unusual shade of red.

But even so, he seemed to be focused on the movie, not paying much attention to the flirty mess beside him. Takao on the other hand paid attention to nothing but him. Though admittedly, he couldn't fully ignore the movie, thanks to his multitasking abilities, but his picture was certainly fixed on his partner. As unchanging as it was, it was interesting in its own respect. Shin-chan certainly had a certain dose of charm to him when he tried to hold back his romantic instincts. Which was quite a feat, considering Takao's effort in breaking through his icy shield. His futile struggles were rather adorable, the point guard concluded.

When the situation seemed to have become somewhat stagnant, Takao decided to go a step further. He lightly lifted Midorima's arm and wrapped both of his hands around his elbow. At the same time, he gently rubbed his face into his shoulder. He may not have had much experience in cuddling but he was sure it would go something along the lines of what he was attempting. Fond touching and embracing until there was virtually no space between them. That sounded like an accurate description of the point guards proceedings, as he has decided. However, the most important part here would be his partner's reaction.

All of a sudden, there was a low moan of discontent coming from his throat. The perfect reaction indeed. Though he quickly covered it with a faked cough, he could hardly hide that Takao's attacks at his antisocial fortress were slowly proving to be successful. Decreasing the space between them was the last thing he wished for at the moment. At the same time, Takao seemed to wish for nothing else. If only there were a method which he could use to proceed in a less obvious, quicker and effectively less boring manner. And there was. Oh, what an evil genius he was tonight.

Midorima could only hope he would stop there, or anywhere else any time soon. He couldn't tell for sure whether Takao knew about his odd condition, simply felt clingy all of a sudden or found a new and amusing way of teasing, but things were ought to quickly get out of control if this were to continue for much longer. Yet as he threw him a glance, he could tell the sparkle in his hawk eyes meant no good.

"Hey, Shin-chan," he began, squeezing Midorima's arm a little harder "I forgot to ask you before, but how about a dessert?"

The taller had to blink a few times. Dessert. It was an interesting idea, considering he didn't usually keep any candy or pastries at home, unless he got it from his parents or some other guests. He didn't have a major sweet tooth, so he often ended up giving away anything he got to his little sister or any person he saw first. That person often being Takao. Although it wasn't impossible that the point guard stored something in his kitchen on one of the shelves he never checked. They might as well eat it now. However, the most important point was that he would be freed from the clingy point guard for at least a minute or two. And that was worth getting some sugar in his system.

"I guess I wouldn't mind a dessert." He shrugged, simultaneously attempting to free his arm from his partner's tight grip. He didn't have to try too hard, as he was released the next moment, as a sudden smirk flashed in front of his eyes.

"I'll go get it then, wait for me." Takao called sweetly as he undid the blanket within seconds and rushed to the kitchen. Midorima sighed with relief. The sofa felt much more comfortable without the point guard to press into his side. He heard a brief noise of a cupboard being closed and a pair of quick footsteps rushing back to the living room. Before he could even fully enjoy his freedom, Takao was back under the blanket with him. Damn, time sure flies by when you're having fun. And when you're anticipating your scheming point guard to find a new way to ruin your life while you're at it.

"Look what I got." Takao announced playfully, waving the cardboard box in front of Midorima's face. As the taller caught the packaging in his hand, his partner was already snuggled back into his previous comfortable position. So much for his freedom. He sighed and read the name of their evening snack.

"Since when do you keep Pocky at my house?" his brows furrowed. "And bitter chocolate flavored at that?"

The question came naturally, as Takao became known across the school as somewhat of a Pocky enthusiast. Not that he ate them all the time; he had to consider his diet as a regular player in Shuutoku's team after all. But it wasn't a rare sight to see him munching on some after school or on holidays. He was the type to try all the possible flavors too, so he'd often be spotted with a different package every single time. Though that was mostly his act to show off his devotion to the brand and he'd often snack on the common flavors at home. He wasn't a big fan of sharing his cookie sticks though. Or at least there were no witnesses of such an act yet.

"I figured you don't like sweet things that much, but you might still want to go for some Pocky once in a while. So I stashed them here, thinking you might indulge a little. So, might you?" he smiled lightly, cracking the package open and ripping the plastic encompassing his favorite treat. The point guard slipped one stick into his own mouth and encouraged his grumpy partner to do the same by nudging the open box closer to him. Buying the bitter chocolate option was actually quite considerate of him, which was a rather inconceivable idea to Midorima. His partner was anything but considerate up to this moment. Or at least that's how it occurred to him.

He finally took one stick and bit it. It wasn't half bad, he decided raising his eyebrows. The bitter chocolate option seemed to suit a bitter person like him, Takao noticed with a grin. The expression didn't go unnoticed by Midorima. However this time, rather than turning away or glaring at him, Takao could swear he smiled back. It was a very light, almost unnoticeable change in his expression, but it was certainly a smile. As tiny as it was, it somehow made the point guard happy. Perhaps his efforts at breaking down Shin-chan's walls weren't a complete waste of time after all. He wasn't exactly sure why he wanted to break them so badly anymore, but for now, his petite smile was enough of a reward.

It didn't take long, as both of them ate away at the sticks, before there was only one left in the box. Takao figured they could share it, or in the worst case he could sacrifice himself for Midorima's sake. Before he'd ask the obvious question though, he wanted to try a more daring option.

"Hey, Shin-chan, what do you say we play the Pocky game?" he chuckled lightly. He couldn't wait to see his partner get all flustered and embarrassed as he told him something along the lines of 'I'd never play something like that with a fool like you'.

However, Midorima only raised an eyebrow, sighed and muttered "Might as well."

And this time, the point guard was lost for words. He didn't mean it seriously, knowing very well Midorima would never go for that. It was going to be one of his silly jokes, but he couldn't have predicted such an outcome. Not that he could really complain. This was bound to be an interesting experience.

"Shin-chan, are you sure you want that?" he had to be certain. Who knows, Midorima could have some sort of a weird sense of humor after all. Takao couldn't fall for something as simple as that. And it was highly unlikely his partner could be serious. Yet it seemed very much like it.

"Not particularly, but if I decline you'll just pester me for the rest of the night until I agree or something, am I right?" Midorima asked, as if it were the most obvious progress of the situation on earth. And true, in any other case that's what it would probably look like. But this wasn't quite like any other situation. Yes, perhaps Takao could tease him about it, but he would never go as far as to forcing him to play the Pocky game. He knew there were limits he wasn't meant to cross, and he was going to respect that part of Midorima. Expecting something like this particular game was out of the question.

Yet here he was, a flustered point guard, getting a green light for the Pocky game from Midorima of all people. They both knew very well what Pocky games usually ended in. The only rules of the game were to continuously bite away at the Pocky stick, until one of the people broke away. And yet a kiss, was the usual outcome. As easygoing as Takao was, he wouldn't mind a kiss from Midorima, but the actual thought of his partner agreeing to it was nothing short of amazing. Even if they hadn't done it yet, this was enough proof there was something _very_ wrong about Midorima tonight. But the point guard, being his persistent self, was going to go through with it properly.

As the initial shock of a positive answer declined, Takao could only smile with excitement. The serious, indomitable, cold and rude Midorima of the Generation of Miracles was going to drop his pride and leave his ego behind for a game of Pocky with his teammate. How could Takao _not_ be thrilled by this thought? He was about to have the blast of a lifetime, finally unmasking Midorima and hopefully even understanding what exactly made this night different. All of the loose ropes of the evening were about to be tied into one conclusion. Touching lips with a guy for something like that was nothing but a mere formality.

Besides, knowing Midorima, he would chicken out in the last moment. But Takao wouldn't let him go without an explanation then. Yes, the night was coming to its climax and the thought left the point guard barely keeping himself in place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, yes, this is the place where I get called cruel.
> 
> I know everyone hates such cliffhangers BUT that's what makes you keep coming back for more right? ;)
> 
> And YES, I am going with the Pocky game cliche, but worry not, since I think it'll work out at least a little differently from the usual trope.
> 
> And on that note, see you next weekend, and as always: have a good one~


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo today I have something special hidden in the update. Actually it's not that hidden, but it's no too obvious either. xD Anyway, this week's treat for you guys is... A chapter with double-chapter content~ Or simply put: two chapters is one. 
> 
> I thought I could thank you for your continued support thus far and this seemed a very fitting way of doing so. ＼(＾▽＾)／
> 
> Oh, also the scene quoted in the description of the fic appears here, so look forward to it. :D
> 
> So on that note, enjoy this week's double chapter~

"Alright then, hold that bit with your teeth." Takao instructed briefly, hardly keeping his voice from overflowing with anticipation. Midorima did as told, and was soon joined by the other mouth at the end of the stick. He could feel the blush on his cheeks relight from the proximity of the point guard but he was not going to back out now. He was going to go persevere, albeit just to be over with it.

"Ready?" the point guard asked through his teeth tightly closed on the tip of the Pocky stick. "Mhm" was the only response, but it was enough of a confirmation.

"Start." He finally uttered and took a small bite. Midorima was quick to follow, going as far as to close his eyes with every next bite to decrease the embarrassment of the moment. And with every tiny bite, he seemed to relax more, if the loosening muscles in his eyebrows were anything to go by. On the other side of the stick, Takao slowly grew more self-conscious than he initially hoped to be. The closed eyes of his partner didn't help him in the least. Only during the last few centimeters, when he could almost feel his breath, he shut his eyes tightly as well. His prize was so close, there's no way he would give up now.

As the last bits of the cookie stick disappeared between them, their lips finally met. They didn't move for a few seconds. Takao felt they should separate soon, but somehow couldn't bring himself to it. Midorima's lips were warm and damp, and felt equally uncertain as his. He really wanted to deny they felt good. He could hear his heart pounding in his throat. Well, no wonder, it was his first time kissing. But he couldn't continue it for too long, there were things he had to ask and prove his speculations after all. Though just a little longer wouldn't hurt anyone, would it?

Just as the thought crossed his mind, Midorima moved his lips. Although he didn't break away. He moved them to encompass Takao's and deepen the kiss. Slowly, he felt him melt into his mouth, as he made sure to be gentle in capturing and releasing his partner's lips time and time again. Meanwhile, the point guard had to keep himself from losing his mind from the sensation of the wet tongue moving across his bottom lip and the gentle sting of teeth lightly grazing the upper one. He could hardly hold back a quiet moan. Never in his life did Takao Kazunari feel more overwhelmed than at that moment.

It wasn't just the new experience that rocked his world; Midorima was actually good at it, from all Takao could tell. If only for a minute, he allowed himself to forget about his great mission or whatever it was that he felt such urgency for. If that meant being kissed for just a little longer, he wouldn't hesitate to halt his schemes. Then again, he couldn't leave all the work to his partner. He began moving his rather stiff lips in time with Midorima, replying the kiss as best as his lack of experience allowed him to. Their breaths hitched once in a while as they indulged in each other's closeness, the warmth and pleasant wetness of their lips colliding.

With every exchanged kiss they seemed to desire to be even closer; to feel each other's presence. Takao unconsciously gripped at the back of Midorima's t-shirt, as his partner wrapped one of his hands around his waist, throwing the other on the nape of his neck. On spur of the moment, the taller threaded his fingers through his raven hair. The point guard couldn't help moaning into his lips. The plethora of stimuli he received were more than he could handle, but he felt no desire to stop. And as they continued more sounds began spilling from his mouth. A pleasant shiver ran down his spine, as he felt his partner's cool hand slip under his shirt, lightly caressing his back. It felt so ridiculously good he only wished they wouldn't stop there.

No. Wait. There was something wrong here. Yes, they were supposed to kiss, Takao realized that perfectly well. However getting carried away like this was never part of the plan. As he finally became conscious of his surroundings and his position, Takao noticed that somewhere in their impromptu make-out session Midorima managed to slide his tongue into his mouth. And somehow, he worked it really well, the point guard noted. He never had much interest in guys but damn could Shuutoku's ace work miracles with his mouth. Being a member of the famous Generation certainly came with certain obligations, didn't it? Well, Takao couldn't really complain about that part, but the hand on his back, gradually sliding lower and lower… This was getting bad. Like potential _gay sex with the ace of Shuutoku_ level of bad. He decided this was enough for the first time. This was _Midorima_ after all.

"Shin-chan…" he moaned his name softly as their lips parted for a second. Of course, he had to put this extremely arousing act to an end, but he didn't want to be too brutal. Besides, just another kiss or two wouldn't hurt anyone.

"Takao." he received a response, as the fingers in his hair tightened. It took him a while to realize it, but Midorima was actually pretty vocal himself. Erratic breaths escaped his lips with every kiss, and every now and then a low moan would find its way out of his throat. It was somewhat sweet, even if so very much unlike Shin-chan. The big guy seemed to be enjoying himself to the fullest. What a pity Takao had to stop it before it got out of control. Or at least _more so_ than it already was.

"Shin-chan…" he repeated airily, slipping his hands over his shoulders. The point guard could only hope his partner would get the message. Midorima, however, seemed to be of the rather dense variety. As Takao attempted to twist his head out of his grip and off of his lips entirely, he only held his hair tighter and kissed him with more intent. Damn, if he were into this sort of submissive stuff, Takao would be all over Midorima in no time. But this wasn't the right time nor place for this type of action. And if his subtle suggestion wasn't clear enough, he'd have to break away in a more straightforward manner.

"Oi, Midorima!" Takao pressed his hands with full force against his partner's shoulders, pushing himself away from his craving lips. Only through yelling out his last name (which he never used for the sake of teasing of course), he could bring him back to his senses. Midorima stared at him with narrow eyes, glasses askew on his nose, and his head still enchanted with the softness of the point guard's lips, as bits and pieces of information slowly reached him, forming the full picture. Shuutoku's point guard, whom he was passionately making out with just a second ago, now watched him in a judging stare (which seemed to appear despite the blush of obvious arousal on his cheeks). One moment. He was making out with Takao? The fact took a long time to process. Gods, just how low did he stoop…

"Just what is wrong with you tonight?" his partner began firmly, with just the right amount of offence in his voice "I thought you were acting odd all evening, but now I'm sure something's off. Mind explaining before we accidentally get even more intimate?"

At that moment, Midorima only wished to descend beneath the crust of the Earth, never to be found again. However that had an incredibly low likeliness of happening, and, as it was, he had no choice but to do as requested. He'd have to swallow his pride and finally speak his mind. Though admittedly, most of his pride was swallowed along with Takao's saliva already.

"Well, first of all let me make one thing clear…" he hesitated as he began. He quickly became aware that choosing the right approach to such an awkward topic wasn't going to be easy. Then again, he couldn't really stoop any lower than he already had, so it couldn't really matter that much. "It's not like I wanted to kiss you or anything." He blurted out bluntly.

Takao sent him a defiant glance. 'Is that so?' could be read from his eyes easily, without him even needing to open his mouth.

"Besides, you suggested that silly Pocky game, so take some damn responsibility." Shin-chan seemed to be getting more flustered with every sentence. With his hawk eyes, Takao could already see where this was going. But he wouldn't ruin the fun yet, and would let Midorima finish his lousy excuses.

"Alright, alright, Shin-chan. Let's say the fault's on me this time." The point guard agreed with an indulgent smile. If they were going to make any progress, he'd have to make it a little easier for him and admit to some things himself. "But let me point out that if you were to act like your usual self tonight, you would have declined my offer before I'd even ask you to play, wouldn't you?"

He flashed his proud, yet so very provocative smirk. Now Midorima was perfectly cornered.

"Well… That's just… No, you see… Because-" his partner stumbled over words, failing to provide any coherent answer. The frustration and embarrassment seemed to pile up in his mind, which showed perfectly in his expression as he furrowed his eyebrows, crinkled his nose and kept readjusting his glasses every 5 seconds or so. The answer wasn't even that hard; he just couldn't find the right words to say it. Just how was he going to explain it anyway? 'Sorry, my horoscope told me a mildly suggestive fortune about an unidentified Scorpio and I might have been overthinking it, but I already accepted the thought we'd be getting intimate tonight, so I couldn't really help it'? Yeah, as if. If only he wouldn't have to pronounce his real, and undeniably somewhat silly, reason out loud.

Wait. He didn't have to.

He swiftly searched through his pockets, finally fumbling with his phone in a slight panic. Takao watched curiously, as Midorima tapped his screen a few times and handed him the device.

"Just… Just listen to today's horoscope for Cancer and you'll understand." He blurted, his gaze running to the wall yet again. Takao took the phone curiously. The Oha Asa app was open. Oh, of course, what else could it possibly be if not Oha Asa. The point guard fought the urge to slam is own palm in his face and laugh at his own cluelessness. But of course, he had to give the horoscope a listen first. It could even more interesting than he assumed.

"Well then, let's see." he cooed and tapped the screen.

"Good morning! This is Oha Asa. Today is looking good for Cancers! You will learn about yourself through new experiences. However, avoid overworking yourself, or rest entirely if possible. Though hard work is important, you also need occasional breaks! Today, try to leave your comfort zone in encounters with others. Do not miss any opportunities which may arise. You will not regret them later! Today you will get along particularly well with Scorpios! Your lucky item is a spoon!"

Immediately after the last word resounded in their ears, Takao burst out laughing. He could hardly contain his voice as he realized what actually made Midorima go as far as to kissing his obnoxious, if not absolutely charming, partner. He wiped away a tear as his laughter died down.

"Damn, Shin-chan, how far could you read into something like _this_?" he flashed a smile, shaking his head in disbelief.

"What? You must admit that phrasing is odd." Midorima crossed his arms on his chest, the blush on his cheeks distorting his grumpy intimidating expression. "Really, it could mean literally anything. It could easily mean flirting or cuddling or kissing…"

"Or just getting along well? Like friends?" Takao suggested with a light grin. He found it somewhat cute how his partner tried to play it off. "It's not like that requires getting intimate. Overinterpreting much, Shin-chan?"

"Oh, shut up. It does make sense on some level…" he mumbled returning to his new hobby of admiring the simple yet perfect architecture of yet another wall. Or so he meant, until an idea struck him, forcing his gaze back to the point guard. "That's right. What's your horoscope for today, anyway?"

"Oh, are you suggesting your soft behavior today is _my_ fault?" Takao chuckled at the thought. Well, it wasn't impossible that his fortune for the day could have something to do with the present situation, but he was never really one to pay attention to Oha Asa's predictions. Rather, he'd be the person to tell Shin-chan to 'Ignore that bullshit and get on with your life already', which would get him smacked on more than a few occasions. Superstition really wasn't his thing. However, Midorima's life seemed to be dictated by the internet deity and that wasn't going to change anytime soon knowing him. Listening to the horoscope for Scorpio could shine more light on the case, or shame Shin-chan entirely and Takao wasn't going to miss this opportunity to see either of these.

"Allow me to remind you that most misfortunes occurring to me these days _are_ your fault." Midorima glared at him. Takao only chuckled.

"Shin-chan, you're just so uncute." The point guard cupped his cheek, shaking his head indulgently. The next instant, he closed the distance between them and stole a single kiss. It was nothing more than a peck, really. But it was certainly enough to get Midorima flustered.

"Hey, don't just do… that." He pronounced, adjusting his glasses, as a light shade of red covered his cheeks.

"Do what? I'm just _getting along_ with you, Shin-chan, don't read into it so much." he cooed sending his partner another innocent smile. He really didn't mind the skinship as much as he probably should. But it was a little fun to see Midorima's reactions, and he found the action itself to be somewhat exciting. Even so, he decided this was enough playing around for the moment. "Alright, let's listen to my horoscope then, if you want it that badly."

"Thank you." He only sighed, rolling his eyes. Takao really was a handful on his own, but giving him the advantage of such physical closeness didn't make things any easier. If anything, it made Midorima more vulnerable. Yet somehow, that brief kiss made his heart skip a beat. Guess that was just another potential cause for concern.

"Hello, this is Oha Asa! Congratulations on being ranked as first today!" The voice from the speaker rang, as Takao threw his partner a proud, yet doubtful glance. Midorima's only response was a brief glare. Being any lower than first in the daily ranking made him uncomfortable in the first place, but knowing that Takao was higher than him, or even taking the top spot made him stir in the most unpleasant of ways. Because whatever their fate was, it was the Scopio's horoscope, in fact _Takao_ 's horoscope that would dictate the future. Saying that was an unlucky course of events would be a heavy understatement.

"The day is looking great for Scorpio. Today you will be the luckiest in your relationships and the chances are high for finding your true love! Do not hesitate to leave the house and go out to town, as your love interest may be just around the corner. With some extra effort, anything you will attempt today will be a success, so do your best! Of all the signs, Cancer will be particularly vulnerable to your charm today, so make sure to use all opportunities which may arise. Your lucky item is yasai itame."

As the voice faded from the speakers of the phone, the two of the Shuutoku team members were left in silence, broken only by the sounds of the TV. Takao realized his fortune was particularly _un_ fortunate in his situation.

"Woah, this may be a bunch of bullshit, but I gotta admit it's a bunch of _accurate_ bullshit." Takao attempted to laugh it off. In all honesty, he considered the accuracy quite admirable, if not for the fact that horoscopes were supposed to be _fake_ , made to satisfy superstitious people, rather than describing his day in a coincidentally correct manner. And Midorima, being the exact definition of a superstitious person, was bound to understand it in the most inconvenient way possible.

"Takao," he pronounced grimly, through clenched teeth and the point guard could feel very well what was coming next "Might you tell me when was the first time you listened to the fortune today?"

"Shin-chan, I know it sounds weird, but I swear this is the first time I've listened to it today." Takao laughed nervously scratching the back of his neck as if to give himself some confidence. "You know what I think of Oha Asa, right? Why would I bother listening to it when I'm not even remotely interested? Besides, I don't even have the app on my phone."

Midorima only glared at him for a brief moment, before sighing and readjusting his glasses. "I know. And I hate the fact it's not actually the fault of your evil schemes this time around."

"Come on, my schemes may be evil, but I'd never go that far." Takao scoffed, crossing his arms on his chest. "More importantly though, what are we gonna do about this 'fate', huh? What would you say, _true love_?"

Midorima couldn't help but flinch at the name he was just called, much to the enjoyment of his partner, who was suddenly overtaken in a fit of giggles for a good few seconds.

"Seriously, doesn't Cancer get any say in this topic…" Midorima clicked his tongue, shaking his head displeased. "Wouldn't it be appropriate to inform both sides of such vital information?"

"Well, they did predict you'd get along well with me." Takao chuckled, relaxing his arms in his lap. "And I'll admit: perhaps there was more to it than what it seemed. If so, then isn't that the perfect way to inform Cancer? You love to read between the lines. Seems like you were right from the beginning."

"Now you'll know better than to underestimate Cancer." He adjusted his glasses proudly, showing his superiority as best as he could at the current situation. Not that it worked, as the point guard found it funny at most, but he could certainly try.

"Perhaps, but what do we do about the whole love issue? After all, you're particularly vulnerable and I wouldn't mind getting a little lovey-dovey with you." he spoke, tracing Midorima's cheek with his fingertips.

"Well, I would. 'Lovey-dovey' is out of the question." Shin-chan stated firmly, though feeling the sudden rush of blood to the spots Takao touched reduced his intimidating aura by at least 50 points, as far as he could tell. "And I am not vulnerable."

"Not at all, Shin-chan." The point guard smirked as he ran his thumb across his partner's lips, adding even more flush to his pale features; something Takao considered nearly impossible until now. "You've just been acting like a sweet little puppy all evening, that's all."

"That's not even vaguely true. What are you even-" he fell silent as he realized there might have been a smidge of truth in Takao's poorly constructed simile. Of course, it's not like he would _admit_ it. But he could play it off. "Okay, even though I have no idea what your potent imagination may have brought you this time, even if I did do anything out of the ordinary today, it's only the result of today's fortune. Fate is not something you can just escape, as I'm sure you know."

"Oh, fate, you say?" his partner cooed sweetly as his smirk grew into a wide grin. He was gently stoking Midorima's hair above his ear, making it harder to focus but also forcing a painful realization. That was a bad choice of words. "Then, if we go by the horoscope as you wish, that means you becoming my true love is fate as well?"

That was a _really_ bad choice of words indeed.

"Shut up." He finally uttered through clenched teeth. He might have been second in the daily ranking but he could swear this was his least lucky day in a long while. "You know very well what I mean."

Takao only gave him the indulgent look, that looked almost condescending coming from his silver-blue eyes. The next instant, he flicked the fingers near his partner's ear, reaching his other hand out as he snatched his glasses of his nose. He was quick to adjust them on his own nose the next instant.

"Shut up, Takao." He imitated Midorima's low voice as well as he could. "You know very well that you're a beautiful person with an amazing personality and truly impressive basketball skills. Isn't it obvious that I've been crushing on you for months, only waiting for you to notice? All this time, I've only been dreaming of cuddling with you and now that I finally got the chance I'm too shy to show it. How could you be so blind, you fool?"

He paused to chuckle for a second, before returning to his usual voice. "Hits home, huh?"

"Not even slightly." Midorima shook his head with a glare, but it lacked its usual fangs which could easily pierce Takao back into compliance. They both knew it was one of his bad jokes, even if the point guard wouldn't use that particular adjective. Besides, seeing a only blurry image of Takao somehow managed to give him a sense of peace for a second. At least he didn't have to watch him make a fool of himself.

"More importantly, I'd like my glasses back. They'll only ruin your sight if you keep wearing them." He crossed his arms on his chest and sighed. "And if you lose your hawk eyes, you'll become completely useless on the court. I don't know about you, but I don't want a useless partner."

"Of course, Shin-chan." The point guard snickered. Removing the black frames and gently returning them back to their place on his partner's nose. "You're kinda cute when you're worried about me, you know?"

The clear image of a smiling Takao reached his eyes sooner than he'd expected, the sudden view causing him to avert his gaze yet again.

"Coming from you, I do not consider that a compliment." He adjusted his glasses lightly, more out of habit than due to Takao's effort of doing it himself.

"So I guess you don't want to cuddle with me after all, eh?" the shorter stretched his arms behind his back, looking effortlessly cool, as he usually did.

"I'm more surprised that you _want_ to do that in the first place." Midorima lifted an eyebrow in a show of somewhat genuine interest.

"I'm quite surprised myself, to be fair." He chuckled lightly, running his fingers though his hair. "Then again, I can kinda see why I'd want to."

"And that would be…?" the taller became curious. Could he really have any good reasons rather than teasing him?

"Hm, let me put it like this: When I'm horny, I can always jerk off, right?" he paused looking at Shin-chan who fitted a rather terrified expression on at the moment. The brief visual appearing in his mind for a second made him cringe (even if deeper down he forced himself to deny it to be an unusually amusing picture). To be perfectly frank, Midorima had no interest whatsoever in Takao's single-party sexual life and the thought has never as much as crossed his mind before. The fact that his partner spoke of it in such a straightforward way out the blue sparked a rather distressing train of thought, only adding to Midorima's general lack of comfort.

Only God could wager to guess where this conversation was heading. "My point being that I don't need a partner to satisfy that physical need. But what am I supposed to do when I'd like to be kissed or hugged or treated fondly by someone? Can't really do that myself, can I? I can live without it, obviously. But I guess by now I'm so affection-starved that it's finally showing. And technically, so are you."

"And don't even try to deny it. I've seen enough today to tell." Takao followed up quickly, seeing Shin-chan open his mouth in protest. As much as he wanted to oppose, he certainly did give Takao some very good reasons to get that impression, the thought of which causing his cheeks to heat up for what he was sure was a billionth time that evening. He gave up on lying himself out of this situation a long time ago, and was now at least relieved the conversation took a different turn than he expected.

"Okay, yes, perhaps some affection would be nice once in a while, I'll give you that." Midorima began hesitantly, attempting to keep at least the tiniest bit of his feeling of superiority. Undeniably, admitting his mistake came hard to him, as his lack of experience in the area would suggest. "But that doesn't necessarily mean I'd want it from _you_."

"Wouldn't you really?" Takao only flashed a teasing grin, though there was something heavy and sulking behind his silver-blue eyes "Does it feel so bad when I touch you?"

The point guard initially reached out to stroke his partner's cheek, but stopped half-way through, slowly retracting his hand. Being touched by Takao in the way he saw fit was one thing that Midorima could classify as vaguely uncomfortable bordering with oddly nice, but seeing him filled with rejection only made him feel worse, to the point where he could hardly describe it with words.

"It's not that it feels bad…" He made an attempt at being honest, something with the likeliness equal to that of snow in August for Midorima. On impulse he grabbed the hand that still hovered in front of him and gave it a light squeeze. At the same time he forced his overly self-conscious eyes to focus on his partner as he stared at him in wonder, waiting for his next words. "It feels kind of… alright. If you really want to touch me, I guess I won't mind too much."

He immediately covered his face with his free hand. He was absolutely certain that was the most embarrassing thing he has said during his entire existence, beating even his 'where do children come from' questions from the age of around 7. Comforting people was as far away from his domain as it could possibly be, somewhere near cooking and taking care of cats, which he infamously resented. Meanwhile, he heard Takao's chuckle right in front of him, behind his hand which he really would have preferred not to remove for the rest of the night.

Unfortunately for him, the point guard had a much different idea on his mind. He gently peeled the taped fingers off of Midorima's bright red features and sent him a happy grin while cupping his cheek.

"I was so wrong before." He started, the tone of his voice brimming with joy "You really _are_ cute."

Takao indulged in a small kiss on his partner's red nose, as the other failed at recovering from his temporary yet extreme bashfulness. This hardly improved his situation. Fortunately for his pride, he did have some defensive spirit left.

"Oi, Takao. I haven't agreed for you to do anything you want. So don't." his spirit seemed in a particularly bad condition, apparently too bad to come up with any logical arguments and defend him much longer.

"You might as well, by now, Shin-chan." The point guard smirked coyly "I know I may not be the _ideal_ person to cuddle with, but do you really have anyone else that you could do it with at the moment?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well then, I hope that was at least slightly enjoyable.
> 
> Be sure to come back next week to experience Takao's quickly improving kissing skills, their positive effects on Midorima and the ace's attempts at getting cuddly for the first time in his life.
> 
> Have a good one and see you soon~


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another week, another chapter for my lovely readers~
> 
> Not really much to add this time, only that I hope you're ready for the intense (and greatly cheesy) fluff that's awaiting you below. ^^
> 
> I hope you have fun~

Yet again, Midorima was ready to protect his wounded ego, opening his mouth to deliver a list of names and reasons as to why these people would be a much better choice than his obnoxious teammate until he realized he had literally no other person he could connect with on such a level. Not that Takao really qualified for that position either, but he had little choice left. He closed his lips silently as he discovered his compulsive denial wasn't getting him anywhere these days. A pitiful fate for such a well-practiced technique.

"Alright, then let's assume I'd _theoretically_ agree to spending the evening according to your foolish wishes, and perhaps we would cuddle, make out or do whatever it is that you want. If by some odd chance that were to occur, what would you do with that fact?" Midorima demanded, putting emphasis on the words which quickly gave away the fact his "theory" was soon going to become reality. The more he labored the point, the more Takao could tell his victory was near.

"Oh, so that's what you're worried about?" his hawk eyes sharpened and his smile eased. He casually stroked through his partners emerald hair as a gentle grin reappeared on his lips "Relax. I'm not gonna tease you about this later. I wouldn't dare to make fun of your feelings like that. Because… you're feeling _something_ , right?"

"I wouldn't really call it _something_ … Remember we're only speaking _theoretically_." Midorima responded after a second of thought. He could tell Takao spoke genuinely. He noticed his silver-blue eyes had a tendency of reflecting his intentions better than his words did. Though at this particular moment, the two seemed to be going hand in hand. "I guess I can't say that I hate it."

"If you like it, then why shouldn't we enjoy some much-needed affection? I promise I won't tell anyone. This will stay between the two of us." Takao assured sweetly.

The taller wondered.

If the last obstacle was out of the way, then why not succumb to Takao's idea? There wasn't much more Midorima could lose at this point, his pride being in tatters already, and all the other worrisome bases being secured. And who knows, maybe it wouldn't be that bad after all. Now that was a dangerous train of thought to follow. It seemed that Midorima was nothing if not a risk-taker tonight though.

"Fine." Midorima sighed as he slowly leaned in to his partner's ear, only to whisper: "If you dare tell anyone of this or make a fool of me in regards to this situation at any future date, you will regret ever knocking on my front door."

A cold shiver ran down Takao's spine as the words reached him. Expecting a kiss on the cheek and receiving a morbid warning was, albeit very Shin-chan-like, a rather disturbing experience. However the excitement coming from the true meaning of this message quickly covered any negative feelings. He has succeeded. He has won against the man colder than ice. He was going to be cuddled tonight.

"It's a deal then, Shin-chan." He flashed a quick smile before turning his head in the perfect angle to take ownership of his newly consented kiss. It ended up as a mere peck on the lips, but even that much gratified him at the moment.

"Aren't you quick…" Midorima muttered, returning to his previous position.

"You know, for some odd reason, kissing you isn't disgusting at all." Takao remarked with a sweet smile, to which Midorima would only reply with a silent flush of his cheeks. They were both well-aware of sharing that impression, but the point guard was the only one brave enough to voice his thoughts.

"So we're just treating tonight as two guys enjoying some platonic affection from each other, yes?" the point guard desired a last confirmation.

"No, I don't think that's quite-" The taller hesitated with the terms. Or perhaps he still couldn't quit grasp the idea as far as to putting it into words. He could no longer tell.

"Why not? You'd want that, wouldn't you?" Takao pronounced expectantly, as he leaned closer.

"No, I don't think so." Midorima said on impulse. He still wasn't keen on admitting his desires, even if they were clear to both parties involved.

"Oh, is that so?" the point guard cooed sweetly as he neared his face until there were only mere centimeters between them.

"Are you absolutely sure?" he spoke softly as his lips nearly touched Midorima's.

"You wouldn't want this the tiniest bit?" the hot breath teased his partner mercilessly.

"Just shut up and kiss me." he finally whispered silently hoping if the words were quiet enough it would be as if he had never spoken them.

"Thought so." The words fell from Takao's lips, triumphantly landing in his partner's mouth as he closed the last bit of distance between them, claiming his lips in a slow kiss full of longing. He remained still for a moment, etching the sweet taste of Shin-chan's lips, so unlike his usual demeanor, forever into his memory.

Savoring every second, he almost overlooked Midorima's impatient nips at his bottom lip. This was hardly enough to satisfy his current appetite. He could feel Takao smiling against his lips for a brief moment before his pleasantly wet tongue ran across his upper lip in an agonizing pace. The incredible need to deny it swelled in his chest, as he silently wished his partner would go even the smallest bit quicker, adding even a little more friction. He'd swear by the one and only zodiac to keep it to himself till the end of his days, but he was lusting for physical affection much deeper than the point guard could have assumed.

Midorima's hands now clutching at the fabric of his t-shirt, digging his immaculately manicured nails into his sides, the point guard decided on becoming a bit more daring, gently sucking at Shin-chan's lips, lightly sinking his teeth into his flesh. Yet to Midorima it was all so painfully slow, so damn teasing, so perfectly fitting Takao in his entire existence. The existence that, according to the taller, had utterly no influence on him whatsoever. It all felt so absolutely aggravating, yet before he noticed he was entranced in the act, following his partner's lead forgetfully.

Takao too, was at the point of losing his temporary composure, the frequency and the force of his kisses gradually increasing. He couldn't help an airy moan or two escaping his lips every once in a while. With every kiss his teasing nature seemed to fade only to be immediately replaced by odd lust he has never felt for his partner. When Midorima soon shifted his hands to embrace him deeper and thread one of his hands in his hair the point guard was sure he was going to succumb to the feeling without a second thought. Strangely enough, his partner was of the same mind, as Takao ran his palms up his chest mindlessly, stopping only after reaching his neck. From there, he placed his hands behind his ears so that only his thumbs had the commodity of light stroking along his incessantly moving jawline.

It proved to be a particularly clever ploy as it locked Shuutoku's ace snugly in his place. The thought of Takao taking control of him, albeit absolutely inconceivable in any other circumstances, was surprisingly compelling at the moment. So far as to make him part his lips willingly, inviting the point guard to freely slip his tongue into his mouth. He didn't need another call to action, promptly taking the opportunity at sharing an even deeper connection with his partner. It all felt so ridiculously right, when both of them were entirely convinced they were doing the worst thing in their whole 16 year-long lives.

Even so, sharing wet, open-mouthed kisses, hot breaths and light moans, moral standards were the last thing to come to their minds. The act was too overwhelming, too arousing for them to be bothered by such details. Though there seemed to be another growing problem to be concerned with at the moment. The realization struck Takao as his breath hitched for a countless time that evening. His kisses suddenly turned slow and light before grinding to a painful halt.

He pulled away, resting his forehead against Midorima's as he whispered between their heavy breaths.

"Shin-chan… We shouldn't… You know what might happen… And what would we do then?" Takao panted out slowly as his partner slowly processed the point he was trying to make.

Before he could give it any proper thought, Midorima became aware of the heat pulsing in his abdomen and pooling in his stomach. If they continued as they were, at this rate things were bound to get nasty really soon. Takao may not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, especially with the lack of foresight for his actions, but in this one case Midorima was grateful to the heavens for giving the point guard the tiniest bit of common sense.

"You're right. Sorry." Shin-chan sighed, brushing his nose against Takao's fondly. He had no experience in showing affection whatsoever and he was sure he was doing a terrible job, but he figured his partner deserved some sort of an apology. And he himself didn't hate the feeling either. But who was he to comment on their closeness when he was the one to willingly come undone under his teammate just a few moment ago.

"Don't apologize. We just have to watch ourselves." The point guard chuckled lightly, requiting the light brush "That was kinda cute, you know? The little nuzzle thing. Think you could do some more cute things like that?"

He smirked expectantly, a joyous sparkle in his eye. Seriously, his partner was getting too excited for such little things, Midorima thought. Though he had to admit it was a very fitting thing for him to do, one he could even consider cute. He gave Takao's last request a bit of thought, somehow avoiding turning into a blushing mess for the billionth time that night and coming to one conclusion. He very well could. Yet he hesitated for a moment.

What was stopping him? Virtually nothing, since the point guard promised to be a good boy about the whole predicament. So there was nothing to fear? The thought itself was somewhat terrifying. So maybe it was better to stop being an ass and show some love to the poor guy? Fine, he'd do it.

He layed a soft kiss on his partner's nose. "There. How's that?" he asked sheepishly. He actually itched to do it ever since Takao broke their previous kiss, but he was not that weak of a man to show it. Even if he just did. He still had to figure out how to define his superiority and masculinity in particularly unfavorable circumstances.

"That's great, Shin-chan." he cooed with a genuine grin. He didn't stay behind on the affections long, as the next instant he briefly left a sweet kiss on Shin-chan's lips. Ignoring the initial embarrassment, Midorima had to silently admit the point guard's kisses were really pleasant. If just for a second or two, they allowed his tense muscles to relax and his mind to appreciate the presence of another person. Even if that person was Takao, of all people. Or perhaps it was precisely _because_ of Takao that it all felt so natural. He preferred to stay without a definite answer for the moment.

"Shall we finish watching the movie while we cuddle?" the point guard suggested, the overjoyed look never leaving his face "I wanna see who she'll choose in the end."

"It's obvious she'll choose the blond guy though." Midorima scoffed putting his best efforts into remembering whether there was actually any blond guy in the film. Takao successfully distracted him throughout the first half of the movie, so drawing any conclusions about its ending came a little hard to him.

"So Shin-chan wants to turn off the TV and focus on cuddling, is that right?" the point guard winked with a sweet smile gracing his lips. Midorima got himself cornered way too easily.

"On second thought, that brunette seems to be getting along with her pretty well, so it's probably better to watch and see for ourselves." He panicked a little. Of course, Midorima wouldn't exactly mind, and was actually somewhat anticipating getting lovey dovey with his partner for one night (and one night only), but focusing on solely on that was water far too deep for him at the moment. Doing it in the background of a film would surely be much easier.

Takao snickered softly. "Okay then, Shin-chan, let's watch." He rested his back on the sofa, snuggling into Midorima's arm. Oh yes, that was much better. The taller gently ran his hand through his partner's raven hair, receiving a short giggle in response. He was as far from an expert in showing affection, as far a human could possibly be, but that didn't mean he couldn't try. And his random attempt seemed to be getting rather positive results so it couldn't have been terrible. In fact, he was surprisingly fine with going a little further.

Midorima briefly lifted the arm Takao was clinging onto and instead brought it around him, resting it on his partner's back. It felt somewhat awkward to him, however the point guard paid it no mind and only pressed himself tighter into Shin-chan's chest. There was something so natural to him, Midorima could swear this act was nothing out of the ordinary to them, as if they've been in a relationship for God knows how long. Even though that was an obvious mistruth, both the embrace and the thought felt oddly good.

In truth, Midorima wasn't quite sure himself why he was so keen on showing affection to Takao in the first place. Partly, it was his pride that pushed him to prove that he _can_ in fact display human behaviors and be perfectly cool about it and partly, it was his actual concealed desire for affection in itself. He never put much thought into it, but being so distanced from people successfully prevented him from getting anyone to like him in the first place.

For the most part, he wouldn't mind. Being so focused on basketball, relationships seemed like a silly waste of time. But somewhere deep down, he was equally human and just like everyone else he wanted to physically feel the pleasure of another person's closeness. Perhaps the fact that Takao would be the first person to give him a chance in this area, even if by a really odd series of events was his fate all along.

It was a ridiculous thought, something he wouldn't even begin to conceive ever before, but that night, it seemed more real than ever. The throbbing growing in his chest as if his most vital organ attempted to escape the prison of his ribcage at the feeling of his partner fondly pressing into his side, comfortably relaxing at his warmth. It was most unusual.

With every smile and chuckle of the point guard a pleasant feeling spread across his chest so different from the usual state of irritation or general exhaustion. What was born that night within him was without a doubt special, as much as he would hate to admit it. If it were all a master plan of Takao's then it was clear Midorima's team mate was an evil genius. To be able to spark such rare emotions in Shin-chan of all people was a great feat. One way or another, he somehow wouldn't mind though. Just for putting up with him for so long, Midorima believed Takao deserved some sort of reward. If something as simple and enjoyable for both parties as physical attention would do the job, he was more than happy to go through with it.

He looked over to his side, seeing Takao tightly snuggled into his chest under the light weight of his arm embracing him, pulling him closer. Midorima gently ran his fingers over his back. The point guard smiled peacefully. He was of such gentle, volatile, nearly intangible beauty, the realization almost caused a worry to taint Midorima's heart that he might disappear altogether, leaving behind a half-forgotten dream and himself wiping his groggy eyes in an attempt to wake up to reality. Yet as time passed, none of the sort happened and Midorima realized he was truly lucky to have let this person into his house that night and seemingly equally so into his heart. He smiled lightly.

The next moment, Midorima leaned in, capturing Takao's lips in his own in a sweet kiss. Simultaneously, he could hear the muffled voices from the TV, the destined partners ardently confessing love to each other the way they were meant to from the very beginning. His heart skipped a beat. The bothersome point guard made him happier than ever that night. It was truly a laughable matter.

Once he pulled away, Takao flashed him a genuine smile. "See, Shin-chan? I knew you could do it if you really wanted to."

Midorima froze for a second, considering the most fitting response. "But of course. I can do anything if I put my mind into it." He spoke before leaving a light kiss on his partner's forehead.

"Then I'm really glad you put your mind into me tonight." The point guard chuckled, pressing his head deeper into Midorima's chest, peacefully closing his eyes.

The taller lifted the corners of his lips and lightly stroked through his partner's raven hair. He could hardly deny Takao's charm, perhaps even going as far as calling it beauty, when he didn't act like the teasing bastard he usually was. When he laid on Midorima's chest fitting that blissful expression, there was certainly something strikingly fair about his features. He was undoubtedly handsome. Midorima wondered why he never took the time to notice it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that, as they say, is that.
> 
> Only today I realized the end of this chapter sounds very much like the end of the story, but fret not! I still have a few cliche-filled chapters for you to read, if you shall choose to.
> 
> So on that note, I hope to see you here again next week and have a good one. <3


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my, just now I realized that I have only two more chapters till the end of the story! Yes, it seems I will only have 10 chapters. But that's more than enough for this mess of a fluffy fic. xD
> 
> But I'm glad some of you are still willing to read this. :D
> 
> So on that note, enjoy this week's chapter~

As he caught himself thinking such utterly foolish things, which he enjoyed past the point of bothering himself with his own perceived idiocy (though the fact would remain his secret), he felt Takao's head gain more weight on his chest and sink deeper. He could feel his slow paced breath and loose grip around his waist. Midorima smiled. His partner seemed to have fallen asleep, and he couldn't help himself think of it as cute. There was something beautifully innocent about the act and he could hardly spawn any frustration for the point guard which seemed so eager to see the end of the film, only to fall asleep so soon. Midorima laid a light kiss on his hair. He was far more adorable than he should have been. Midorima knew all too well he was long past the point of saving.

It was only when the credits began rolling on the screen of the TV that the taller dared to move. He didn't want wake Takao before it were absolutely necessary.

"Takao" he leaned in and whispered into his ear. He received no reaction.

"Takao" he called a little louder. He slept like a log.

Midorima only released a heavy sigh. Carefully, he removed the point guard's arms still clinging onto his body and stood up, placing his head on a cushion. The taller shook his head with a joking scoff "What a handful you are, I swear…"

He then slipped his arms under Takao's legs and shoulders and gently lifted him off the sofa, making sure he provided enough support to his head not to cause unnecessary strain to his neck. To Midorima's surprise, he wasn't as light as he imagined, and the taller was certain he would give Takao a piece of his mind regarding the extra fries he ordered at MajiBurger whenever they stopped by, later. He carried him slowly into his own bedroom and placed him on the bed.

Midorima sat on its side, vigilantly watching his chest rise and fall in a slow calm rhythm. He was somewhat amazed how deep Takao's sleep must have been, that he hasn't batted an eyelash at being displaced to a bed and by coarse arms of an inexperience in people-carrying Midorima, of all people. He lightly stroked over his cheek, wary not to wake him up. Midorima could hardly comprehend his actions. Rationally speaking, such a sudden change of attitude, and even _affection_ , were absolutely ridiculous for him. And due to such random coincidences like the horoscope and the point guard's behavior that night, of all possible causes.

Yet Takao always had his way with him and this time was no different. The same could be easily said for his horoscope, or rather his fate. Though the words, 'Takao', 'affection' and 'fate' brought all together were still incomprehensible for Midorima. Though he somehow couldn't be bothered to think of it. He simply enjoyed the fleeting moment. He laid a kiss on Takao's forehead. There was a pleasant warm feeling in his chest. He was genuinely happy. He, a heterosexual high school basketball ace was kissing his bothersome teasing point guard, the permanent disappearance of which he wished for at least thrice a week, and he was happy. He smiled at the twisted sense of humor of the gods.

Midorima sighed, grabbed his pajamas from under his pillow and was about to stand up, before Takao's hand got a grip on his wrist. A sudden shiver went down his back as he turned his head in surprise.

"Don't go, Shin-chan." Takao spoke slowly, the sleep still seeping into his words. He blinked heavily and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. He watched Midorima attentively, ignoring his drooping eyelids.

"I just want to take a shower. I'll be back, okay?" Midorima replied calmly. It seemed Takao's hawk eyes were perfectly aware of his surroundings even when their owner was asleep. Midorima shrugged at the thought. It was more trivia to him, rather than an information of great importance, but he took vague note of it.

"Will it take long?" Takao asked with a small yawn.

"It won't. I swear." Midorima assured.

"Okay. I'll be waiting." Takao grinned in that innocent way of his and the taller ran a hand through his hair. Such a small gesture pleased both of them far more than they'd expect.

"See you soon then." Midorima said as he left the room.

Takao spread his arms on the bed and sighed. He heard the rain still pattering on the windows. He smiled. He was never a big fan of the terrible sub-tropical weather they experienced every summer, but at the moment, he could only feel grateful. The sudden storm was such a lucky coincidence, he couldn't help the need to thank the heavens for sending down such incessant, unyielding rain. His memory vaguely travelled to his horoscope for the day. Being the luckiest sign on a given day came with its own benefits, he guessed. He never quite believed in the Oha Asa, but he couldn't deny that he enjoyed the coincidences that came with it, or as Shin-chan called them, the 'fate'.

But the matter of coincidence or fate made little difference to Takao, who more than anything was simply contented with the night's achievement. As accidental as it was, he managed to get physically close to Shin-chan, break his walls a little, and receive some tenderness from him. He chuckled at the thought. That was never his goal. Though in honesty, he never had a goal to begin with. It was all incidental. But he was happy. Sharing such closeness with his best friend pleased him to no extent. He was sure he'd give it up for any other activity he practiced in his free time. Or even anytime he was busy. Thinking back to their evening kisses, he couldn't help wishing for more, no matter the cost.

He pondered the source of Midorima's kissing technique and before he could notice, his partner made his way back into the room and lit the bedside lamp. He was wearing a simple white t-shirt and a pair of grey shorts now, followed by a towel hanging from his shoulders. His hair was a darker shade of emerald and Takao was quick to notice the patches of water around his neck.

As he sat down on the bed, Takao swiftly wrapped his hands around his waist. "I missed you Shin-chan. It's no fun laying in your bed alone." The point guard wished it were a lie and Midorima was certain it wasn't. Takao became unusually honest with him that night, and he could hardly deny, there was something sweet about that side of his.

"I'm sorry." The taller apologized briefly as he pulled his legs up on the bed and he felt the hands let go of his body. He turned to face Takao.

"It's alright. I'm glad you're here now." He smiled brightly, reaching around Midorima's back. "Can I dry your hair?"

The taller only nodded. The point guard lifted the towel and gently placed it on his head. Slowly and earnestly, he rubbed his skull, all the while gazing into his eyes with a light smile. There was something positively different from the usual Takao in it, Midorima noticed, and briefly replied the smile. The point guard leaned in and stole a quick kiss from his partner. The smile was still there when he pulled away, perhaps only slightly tinted by embarrassment, and he returned to his diligent drying. The pleasant shiver that crept down the taller's spine was a proof of Takao's undeniable skill. His partner seemed equally pleased. Yet after a while, he stopped his movement, only staring at Midorima with a certain dose of awe in his eyes.

"Shin-chan, you're really beautiful, you know?" he spoke, as if it were the most obvious fact in the world. Midorima's mouth flew slightly agape. "I never told you, but you're really incredibly beautiful."

Midorima could only stare at him, completely baffled, as Takao put on an honest smile, perfectly befitting his innocent eyes. Never in his life has he heard anything like that. Never, until that moment. He sat still only for another brief second. The next instant, he wasted no time, pulling Takao into his tight embrace. He ignored the towel that slid off his head and focused only on the slim person in his arms as he closed his eyes. He spoke but a word, yet Takao knew exactly what he meant through the act. He too, reveled in the silence, shutting his eyes. Midorima's hands pressed him tightly to his chest, spreading the pleasant warmth onto his body. He could vaguely smell the sweet fragrance of his shampoo. If he could, he would be perfectly happy to stay in that position forever.

This was it, Takao thought. This was certainly it. It must have been. He smiled in joy as he turned his head to kiss him on the cheek. Midorima finally loosened his grip around him, though not quite letting him go yet. He rested his head on his shoulder.

"Hey, Shin-chan." Takao whispered, prompting him to raise his eyes to meet his. There was an excited sparkle in the silver-blue eyes of the point guard and Midorima felt completely charmed by their gentleness. Takao was grinning too. He placed his forehead on his.

"I love you." The point guard pronounced calmly. Midorima's eyes widened in an instant. He held his breath and grabbed Takao shoulders, pulling away only far enough for his eyes to focus on his face. There was a light blush sprinkled on the smaller's cheeks. A genuine smile graced his lips.

Suddenly, Takao chuckled. "It'd be weird if I said it so soon, wouldn't it?"

Midorima leaned in and pressed his lips into his in a slow kiss. Takao laughed.

"It'd be absolutely foolish."

"Then I guess it would only be fitting to the fool you've always been." Midorima scoffed with a smirk. The point guard only hummed with a wide grin.

"I was waiting for you to say that." He weaved a hand through his emerald hair and kissed the corner of his mouth. The shorter gave his partner a thorough look. Shin-chan really was beautiful, especially with the small smile gracing his lips. "But don't worry, Shin-chan, it's not a binding confession. I don't think I'm really in love. Just infatuated. Are you alright with that?"

"I actually think I'm perfectly fine with it." Midorima struggled to hold back a chuckle. Their situation turned so silly so quickly, he would lie in saying he didn't expect it, even if by a tiny bit. It really was ridiculous. He himself felt he began developing some feelings for Takao that night. What was more concerning is that he didn't mind it in the least. Their road to that point may have been a bumpy one, but if they were to end up there one way or another it must have been fate. The Gods really had a terrible sense of humor, Midorima thought. So terrible, it actually made him happy.

"Sounds good then." Takao placed his forehead on his partner's once more, lightly nuzzling his nose against his "But you wouldn't mind if somehow it would turn into something more than a one-night-cuddle-stand?"

Midorima gazed into his silver-blue eyes glimmering admirably in the warm light of the bedside lamp and he could swear there were few sights more beautiful than this one. He felt he could easily regret the words he were to speak, but pronounced them without hesitation. "I wouldn't mind at all."

The point guard laid a gentle kiss on his lips. "I'm glad."

Midorima embraced him loosely and they sat in silence for a little while, only gazing in each other's eyes and sharing embarrassed smiles. The large droplets of water hit the window pane in some distant part of the room. Yet all they could focus on was each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And on that cheesy note, I hope you enjoyed this week's chapter!
> 
> Oh, I should probably mention that next week's chapter will be unfortunately shorter than usual HOWEVER the last chapter will be longer than usual! I just figured out that was the best way to split them up. Wow, only two weeks till the end of the story...
> 
> Welp, I hope you guys stay around and have a good one!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, as I already mentioned last week, this time, we have a significantly shorter chapter because I failed to separate them better. 
> 
> But no worries, next week's chapter - the finale - will be longer than usual so perhaps that's something to look forward to. ^^
> 
> Bur for now, enjoy this short chap~

It was only after some time passed that Takao yawned without restraint.

"Sorry." he laughed "That killed the mood."

"It's alright. We should go to sleep." Midorima stroked through his raven hair.

"Should I get myself a futon, or…?" the point guard asked hopefully, as a small smirk spread on his lips.

"You must be a fool thinking I'd let you sleep on a futon after what happened." Midorima scoffed, crossing his arms on his chest.

"Alright, Shin-chan, you don't have to beg me, I'll sleep with you tonight." Takao chuckled and carefully tackled Midorima to the bed. The latter looked rather surprised, but could hardly object, as he was drawn into an ardent kiss. Takao nipped at the flesh of his lips with his teeth, while running a hand down his chest and could feel a shiver going down his spine when Midorima pulled him close by the nape of his neck. Even so, the pace was in his hands and soon he got access to Shin-chan's skilled tongue and shared a few needy licks, releasing low moans of satisfaction. However, it wasn't long before he slowed down to only suck on his upper lip. He traced it with his tongue before letting go and breaking away with a last soft kiss on his richly red lips.

Takao lightly reached to his partner's ears, slowly sliding off the black frames of his glasses and neatly placing them on the bedside table. He took his time gazing at Shin-chan's half-lidded eyes before collapsing onto the bed with a large exhale. "Man, I love making out and all." He remarked with an airy chuckle "But so much happened today, and I'm _exhausted_."

As if to confirm the validity of his statement, a yawn soon escaped his lips, which he made no effort to cover with his hand. Midorima rolled his eyes with a light smirk and wrapped an arm around his waist. Takao turned his head to feel his partner's warm forehead against his again.

"So am I." Midorima agreed. "We should sleep."

"Okay." Takao hummed, pressing his body into Shin-chan's, throwing his arm across his chest. The taller smiled lightly as he reached for the switch of the bedside lamp. Once the room was dark, he felt a warm peck on his cheek. He returned the endearment, incidentally leaving a kiss on the point guard's chin. He heard a tired chuckle. "Oh, shut up." He whispered, more playfully than ever and could nearly see Takao's radiant smile.

"I'm just happy." The smaller spoke in a hushed voice, pulling up the blanked to cover the two of them. "Though there's one thing that would make me happier."

"And that would be?" Midorima took the liberty to ask, whilst lightly running his fingers in circles around his partner's hip.

"Think you could spoon me?" he asked and the taller could easily imagine the innocent smile and the excited spark in his silver-blue eyes. Midorima could feel his lips flexing, following Takao's suit.

"Of course." He answered, hearing a pleased squeak in response. It took only a brief moment before Takao shifted his position on the bed, laying on the side, anticipating the warmth of Midorima's body to cover his back soon. The taller wasted no time and faultlessly wrapped his arm around his partner's waist, pulling him closer, fitting his smaller frame into his broad chest, abdomen and thighs. He bent his knees to match Takao's and sighed with content. He has known of this practice for a while now, but this was his first opportunity to try it out in practice and it felt more pleasant and relaxing than he had imagined.

"It feels so nice…" Takao spoke the words which passed through Midorima's mind, and the latter only hummed in agreement.

He could already feel his consciousness fading away, as fatigue filled his body, allowing for any tension to leave his muscles. The warmth of the point guard pressed to his chest calmed him and filled him with a sense of inexplicable security. The position was a brilliant idea. He was genuinely happy.

Suddenly, he heard a quiet chuckle escaping Takao's lips. Midorima felt he was holding himself back. "Hey, Shin-chan." He spoke finally.

"Hm?" was the only articulate sound the taller could force himself to produce.

"You really are lucky, you know?" the point guard bit his lip, yet the cackle coming from his mouth couldn't be stopped that easily.

"Am I?" Midorima was ready to hear something particularly egocentric, as he found typical of Takao. At times, his partner showed more self-love than half of the Generation of Miracles combined.

"Yes, according to today' Oha Asa, you're _really_ lucky." He barely held back his laughter " _Being_ the _big spoon_ after all, must bring much more luck than only carrying a lousy bit of silverware, am I right?"

Takao finally burst out laughing and Shin-chan sighed so deeply his partner could virtually feel the face-palm without even the slightest need for him to move a muscle.

When his voice died down, Midorima finally leaned over his head and lightly placed his teeth around the tip of his ear. He bit down on it until he heard a clear yelp coming from the point guard's mouth. Finally, he whispered "That was terrible and you should feel terrible."

Takao only chuckled "Sorry, Shin-chan. Couldn't resist."

Midorima didn't pay much mind to the bad pun in the first place. He was used to hearing similarly awful jokes every other break at school. It was just that this one ruined the mood a little _too_ much. "It's fine." He pronounced lazily as he felt his eyes close again.

"I'd like to fall in love with you, Shin-chan." Takao thought out loud. The words forced Midorima to raise his tired eyebrows. He softly kissed the nape of his neck.

"I wish you best of luck with that. I'm not the loveable type." He pronounced with resolve, in that trademark matter-of-fact tone of his, as his arms pulled Takao tighter into his chest. His speech seemed to naturally revert to his usual cold tone when fatigue set in his body, even if his own actions denied his words quite heavily.

"You're a liar, Shin-chan." The point guard laughed quietly "You lie even to yourself."

"It's only natural to Cancer, mind you." Midorima pointed out with a quiet yawn.

"I guess so." Takao hummed with acceptance. His partner could nearly feel the smile brightening up his tired features. "Good night, Shin-chan."

"Good night, you damn Scorpio." Midorima whispered with his last conscious efforts and laid a kiss on Takao's cheek.

He really was a terrible liar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this story ends next week. It's sort of weird for me to think about it now. Well, it's been a fun ride and I hope you guys enjoy its ending as well.
> 
> See you next week and have a good one!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my. It's been 10 weeks. This is the end.
> 
> I could probably say something really sappy here, but that's just pushing it with this ridiculously sappy fic. I just hope you'll enjoy the last chapter to this rather plot-less, if not very fluffy, story.
> 
> (And as promised it's longer than usual~)
> 
> Enjoy~

Midorima took a large breath. He felt himself slowly regain consciousness after a good few hours of sleep and a pleasant, yet confusing dream. He couldn't quite remember its details, only that it featured Takao doing something unusual. Which Midorima discovered to be a part of the ordinary in his life ever since he joined Shuutoku high school. He paid little mind to the product of his sleeping imagination and kept his eyes shut, enjoying the morning rest, not quite feeling up to getting up just yet.

He breathed in deeply. Vaguely remembering the previous day's rain, he relished in the unique scent of the post-storm air. Though there was something different about it, he couldn't quite make out the details and quickly dismissed it as a part of his morning drowsiness. Apart from his breath, he could hear the faint chirping of birds behind the window. It must have been a wonderful, cool, yet perfectly sunny morning outside. The temperature must have also dropped after the heavy downfall of the previous day and Midorima figured this would be a perfectly fine day to practice his shots.

As he laid there, half-consciously making up his plans for the day, he could feel an unusual warmth radiating from beside him. He turned around in its direction and could swear he felt someone's breath on his cheek. His eyes immediately shot open, only to see a slightly blurred Takao with half-lidded eyes and a radiant smile spread on his lips.

"Morning, Shin-chan. Did you sleep well?" he crooned sweetly, as if he were trying to harmonize with the birds right outside of the window. The previous sleepiness cleared itself from Midorima's mind in an instant, as he perked up on the bed and scrambled for his glasses on the bedside table.

Once the frames were secured on the bridge of his nose (even if slightly askew due to his haste), the taller pulled the blanket up to his neck, as if he were trying to cover his non-existent nudity, and spoke, his face pale with fear and eyes filled with sheer terror. "What do you think you're doing in my bed?!"

"Great question." Takao chuckled "Remember anything from last night maybe?"

As an expectant grin brightened the point guard's features, the memories of the previous evening flooded Midorima's mind and his ears and cheeks quickly acquired an admirable shade of red. There were no words that would describe how much he wanted all the night's events to be nothing more than an odd dream.

"No reason to be embarrassed, Shin-chan. We haven't done anything _that_ bad last night." Takao's smile remained on his lips as he, according to Midorima, spoke way too lightly of the issue at hand.

"We've done enough for you to tease me about it for the next 6 months." He let the blanket drop as he removed his glasses and covered his eyes with the palm of his hand. What horoscope? What fate? What damn much-needed _affection_? He was but a fool, playing into the satanic hands of his more-than-incidentally evil friend.

"You're wrong here." The smaller opposed, and Midorima could hear he was no longer smiling "I promised something, didn't I? I won't make fun of you. I'm not planning on breaking it."

"Why not? All of this is really hilarious. You could get some great kicks out of it, I'm sure." The taller argued. He felt like he deserved that sort of treatment. Someone of his status should never fall for such a simple trick in the first place.

"A promise is a promise. Besides," Midorima heard the ruffling of fabric and felt Takao's warm hand prying his own away from his eyes "I think I like you. Probably more than I should. I'd have to be an idiot to tease you now."

Instantly, the taller's lips were covered with the familiar warmth, softly leaving a light kiss and withdrawing to the previous sitting position. He could feel his cheeks burning up without restraint.

"Why would you do something like this? As if you can't get a date without using underhanded methods." Midorima shook his head as he adjusted his glasses back on his nose. "I'm not even a good partner for you. There's literally hundreds of options fitting you more than I, yet I become your aim. You must either have terrible taste or be incredibly cruel. _Or,_ be a-"

"A fool?" Takao finished with a smirk.

"Oh no, we've already established you're a fool. You would have to be a downright masochist, is what I wanted to say." Midorima stated, in his matter-of-fact, deadpan manner.

"Hey, don't flatter yourself." Takao scoffed, lazily laying back on the head rest "It's not like I _wanted_ to seduce you. Yesterday night was just… a really weird compilation of unexpected circumstances. Certainly not a plan of mine to get intimate with _you_ in particular."

"Great." The taller pressed his back into the head rest with a light thud as he crossed his arms on his chest "I've been romantically mesmerized by a man who had neither any skill nor original desire of me. That's it. My life as a respectable member of the society is over. All I have left now are my impeccable basketball skills and Oha Asa. And I'm not even sure about the latter."

Takao only eyed him with an amused smirk and a raised brow.

"The Gods and all odds are certain to turn away from me after such a humiliation, obviously." Midorima shrugged, as if it were the most basic principle of the universe.

"Perhaps that would be for the best? Carrying around huge Tanuki figures is more physically straining than you'd think." Takao followed up with a shrug and a tilt of the head, glancing at his partner. "Especially since you're not the one driving them around."

"Oh, shut up." Midorima scoffed with a small pout which the other couldn't help smiling at.

"But admit it," Takao turned to face him, an excited smile on his lips "You enjoyed it. All of it."

"Not at all." Midorima denied, forcing his eyes off of the overjoyed point guard.

"Lying again, Shin-chan?" a laugh pressed at his lips as he observed his intimidated partner fight his pride and obstinacy to refrain from showing that Takao and his actions actually stirred some emotions in him.

"No, I'm just honest. I only went along with it on a whim, but there was no pleasure involved." The taller kept up his act. Takao smirked. He placed his palm of Shin-chan's and squeezed it lightly, only then to slowly stroke its surface with his slim fingers. His cheeks immediately flushed yet he did not retract his hand and the point guard couldn't help chuckling.

"Man, you actually really love this, don't you?" He watched his partner attentively, excitement bright in his silver-blue eyes. He considered Shin-chan just a little too cute.

Midorima only slowly clenched his teeth and after a moment pronounced "Just a tiny, minute, completely irrelevant bit."

"I'm glad I managed to hear it directly from you." Takao lifted his hand with a genuine smile and lightly caressed his partner's cheek with his fingertips. Midorima's stern eyes seemed to soften by a small amount, although he remained vigilant and cautious. When it comes to the point guard's own eyes on the other hand, the taller could almost swear he could hear them whispering through the glossy façade 'this is the part where you kiss me'. He paid little attention to the speech of Takao's persuasive irises and spoke himself instead.

"What do you plan to do with this fact anyway? Since I can't see any other reason than for the sake of being an ass about it?" he spoke solemnly, glancing at Takao's growing smirk.

"Isn't it obvious?" the point guard's face suddenly appeared in front of Midorima's own, all smiling, big-eyed and generally a little _too_ happy "I want to try dating you. Like an actual relationship."

He left a quick peck on Shin-chan's lips before withdrawing and allowing the taller to cover his eyes with one hand, lifting his glasses in the process.

"I cannot _believe_ you'd say something like that." He nearly wheezed, trying to arrange all of the events in a logical whole as he found himself completely lost for words. The situation has gotten far more ridiculous than he could have ever imagined.

"Why not?" he could hear Takao shrug "Didn't you feel something last night? We were totally sober, we knew what we were doing, yet we were both perfectly okay with it. And despite how weird it all was, didn't it somehow feel just… _right_?"

Midorima lowered his hand in curiosity and scrutinized the smaller figure in front of him. "Maybe…?" he hesitated.

"Don't you think that means something, Shin-chan?" he grinned, taking his partner's hand and holding it dearly between his own.

"Now, what could it possible mean?" Midorima scoffed, titling his head in disregard as he adjusted his glasses proudly back on the bridge of his nose.

"What if it means that you're meant for me?" a coy grin spread on the point guard's lips as he felt a light surge of color in his cheeks "I feel like I could really be happy being in love with you."

Midorima could only stare, his mouth agape, as he put his best efforts into making sense of Takao's words. The feelings his partner spoke of weren't exactly foreign to him. He also had a sense of some unique bond that descended upon them the previous night. He silently wished he were as confident in expressing his desire to explore this unusual relationship without fear as Takao was.

"Well, if you really think so," Midorima began, deciding for a more hardline approach "I suppose I wouldn't really mind making concessions to see whether this sort of relation holds any future value for us."

"So you'd want to try dating me?" Takao could hardly remain in place as his hands began shaking with anticipation of his most desired answer.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly put it that way." He nervously scratched the back of his neck, flustered "But, uhm, yes, I suppose that's a rather likely option."

"Shin-chan!" the point guard cried and for a brief moment before he tightly embraced Midorima; the taller could clearly distinguish the genuine sparkle in his silver-blue eyes.

"Thank you." Takao spoke softly, feeling his partner's arms closing around his back "I'm glad you're giving us a chance."

"Just don't set your expectations too high." Midorima replied in a cold tone, yet the smaller knew he was speaking honestly "I'm not like you. I can't adjust to everything in the blink of an eye."

"Don't worry, I know you need time to practice." He chuckled, lightly ruffling the taller's emerald hair "I'll try to be understanding. I'm not experienced with the whole 'relationship' thing either, after all."

"That's good to know, I suppose." Midorima sighed, silently pressing his lips into Takao's bare neck. It felt warm to the touch and unusually calming to the mind. He couldn't quite comprehend the meaning of their decision or the consequences it would bring, but he felt that they still had plenty of time to figure it all out. "Do you want to lay down for a bit longer?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice." The point guard hummed, letting go of his partner to allow him for a change of position.

Midorima laid down, resting his head on the head rest of his bed and looking hesitantly, albeit expectantly, at Takao. The smaller flashed him a pleased smile and wasted no time laying on the taller's chest.

"Though I gotta say it's rare to hear you suggest more rest than it is essentially necessary." Takao chuckled, nuzzling into his partner's torso. He wrapped his hand around his waist with a peaceful sigh.

"It's not exactly about rest, you see." Midorima admitted, running his hand through the raven hair. He silently wondered what made him so daring all of a sudden.

"Sometimes, I really don't get you, Shin-chan." He could tell the point guard was smirking as he spoke. "But don't worry about it. I've always liked that about you."

After that, the room quickly plunged into silence. Takao nodded off unexpectedly quickly and Midorima almost followed suit, if it weren't for the myriad of thoughts swarming his head. He could hardly make sense of choices, and immensely more so his feelings. It was a complex mix of silent joy, odd sheepishness, laughable hesitation and more than anything, deep confusion. Before he could ponder it too long however, he too found himself falling into a light sleep.

That was until they were both awoken by a sudden doorbell.

"Shin-chan, go answer the door." Takao groaned, rising from his partner's chest and rubbing his eyes reluctantly.

"I will." He sighed, sitting up with a light yawn "But who could it be at this hour?"

"Mail?" Takao suggested in a tone implying the most obvious answer.

"On a Sunday morning?" Midorima asked doubtfully, knitting his eyebrows as he remembered the day of the week.

"Then UPS?" the point guard demanded as his hawk eyes dulled with sleep slowly regained their shine.

"They also take weekends off and I didn't order anything in the first place." The taller rolled his eyes, adjusting his glasses that managed to slip down the bridge of his nose during the short nap.

"Then who?" Takao placed his chin in the palm of his hand as he pressed his elbow into the mattress, waiting impatiently for his partner's proposition.

"…God?" he questioned, wide-eyed, as his face went pale with the sudden guilt spilling over his body and tightening in his throat.

Takao only eyed him with a disregarding smirk and a little shake of the head. "Okay, Mr. Superstitious, why don't we go see this God of yours then?"

He swiftly hopped out of the bed, lightly stretched his arms, and pulled his reluctant partner out of the sheets. Grabbing him by the palm of the hand, he dragged him behind through the living room.

"Yes, Takao, I can walk on my own, thank you." He could hear the loud sigh above his head. The point guard quickly turned around, flashing a bright smile and pulled Midorima in for a brief kiss on the cheek by the collar of his t-shirt.

"I am so glad I can do that now whenever you try to get snarky with me." He chuckled with a victorious spark in his eyes. Midorima clicked his tongue as he felt his cheeks light up. If only he had a weapon of ultimate silencing that could work on Takao, he'd show him who's the dominant part of the relationship. He sincerely hoped he really _was_ the dominant part, otherwise things were bound to turn far more embarrassing really soon.

As they reached the front door, Midorima was the first one to look through the peephole. To his surprise, there was no one to be seen on the other side. Takao was quick to have a glance himself and soon found himself looking at Midorima in confusion.

"Some joke?" he asked in doubt "And here I thought kids were smarter these days."

Just as he finished speaking the bell was heard again and the two of them exchanged looks.

"Let's just open it." Midorima sighed.

And open the door he did. On his front porch stood a small girl, perhaps 8 years of age, and an excited smile on her lips. She had shoulder-length raven hair and eyes of a unique shade of blue. Just when Midorima thought she had semblance to a certain point guard he recently bonded with, his partner dispelled his doubts.

"What are you doing here, sweetie?" Takao kneeled with a surprised grin, letting the child run into his arms.

"Nii-chan!" she exclaimed happily as her brother lifted her up so that she could wrap her arms around his neck "You promised to take me to the park on Sunday, but you didn't come home yesterday, so Miss Suzuki said she'd take me over to Shin-nii-chan so that we can go together."

"Oh, of course it would be Miss Suzuki." Takao shook his head, remembering a vague mention of how the lovely middle-aged woman used to baby-sit Midorima's younger sister before the small lady with an ego as large as her brother decided she didn't need one at her mighty age of 11.

"But Nii-chan, the park!" she complained.

"Sorry about that." He chuckled nervously, securing the girl in his arms "But you saw the storm yesterday. I couldn't come back even if I wanted to."

"But it was scary without you…" the girl pouted turning her face away from her brother.

"I was scared too! Trying to get home all alone on my bike in the rain…" Takao shivered dramatically "But hey, look who picked me up and let me stay in his house for the night."

He turned to the side, revealing Midorima, who until now only silently observed the heart-warming scene. For a brief moment, the child seemed to consider whether she should be happy or upset with this resolution. She decided to go with a smile.

"Thanks for taking care of nii-chan." She said, lifting her small fist in the taller's direction. He bumped it with his own with an indulgent smirk and an apprehensive nod.

"Come on, nii-chan, you thank him too!" the girl urged her brother, a dead-serious look in her eyes. Takao only chuckled.

"Okay, sweetheart." He craned his neck to decrease the distance between Midorima and himself "Stoop a little, Shin-chan."

Puzzled by Takao's idea of expressing gratitude, he mindlessly complied to his wish. Once he was within reach, without any consideration, Takao pressed a carefree kiss to his lips. Although it lasted only a few seconds, it was perfectly enough for the child to notice.

"Thanks, Shin-chan." A grin spread on the point guard's lips "For letting me stay the night."

"No, it's completely fine, really." Midorima blabbered as time after time he sent Takao looks of clear desperation. 'How could you do something like that in front of a child?!' his emerald eyes seemed to scream with each furious glare.

The smaller only looked back at him with a coy smile and eyes calm as a mountain lake. 'She's a good kid, she wouldn't judge us.' Was the message his own eyes responded with.

Quickly ending his blissful oblivion, the child soon spoke for herself.

"Ew, why would two boys kiss? That's gross." she whined with a smile, covering her eyes with one hand.

'See what you've done, you world-class moron?' were the next words Midorima's eyes seemed to yell into Takao's face.

'Give her a chance.' The point guard only shook his head.

"Hey, sweetie, but isn't it also totally gross if a boy kisses a girl?" Takao suggested, smiling brightly at the girl.

"Oh, it's super gross!" she shook her head decisively "Boys should keep their cooties to themselves!"

"See?" this time Takao used his voice for a change from his communicative eyes. Midorima crossed his arms on his chest and as a small pout appeared on his face, his partner could tell his thoughts easily enough. He had to admit his tsundere antics came in particularly useful when they found themselves in a pinch.

"But nii-chan, why would you kiss Shin-nii-chan anyway? Does he want your cooties?" the girl asked curiously, as was typical of her in her newly discovered questioning phase. The point guard couldn't help the laugh pressing at his lips and with the corner of his eye, he saw even Midorima smile lightly, despite his rather upset demeanor.

"Well, darling, let me say it this way." Takao began, gazing into the girl's eyes which Midorima couldn't help smirking at, as he looked as if he were watching himself in a mirror that took away about 8 years from his appearance. "When you love someone, you kiss them to show them that your feelings are true."

"Do you love Shin-nii-chan then?" she demanded, staring wide-eyed at her brother. The brother in question, on the other hand, only glanced over to his partner and with a genuine smile and declared: "Yeah. I think I love Shin-chan."

Within a second or two, Midorima's face lit up with a bright flush as he forced himself to look away from his extremely embarrassing point guard. His brilliant theory of being the dominant part of the relationship was brutally murdered as soon as it was born.

"Shin-chan also loves me, but he doesn't really like saying it. He's a bit shy, you know." Takao was quick to add, which the girl took to heart with a smile and a nod.

"Okay then, nii-chan, why don't we go to the park now, and I can play, while you go on a date?" the girl suggested with a proud grin, showing her true mischievous nature, which must have been a shared characteristic in the family tree, as Midorima concluded.

"Sounds great to me!" Takao called out, looking over to his partner "What do you say, Shin-chan?"

Midorima wasn't in the slightest bit prepared for such a quick and bold development and if he could, he would keep their odd relationship locked behind the doors of his own house for the nearest two weeks. However, upon seeing the pleading eyes of the girl, he couldn't imagine himself denying her simple request.

"Alright, we'll go." He sighed "Just because your sister asked though."

"Of course, Shin-chan." Takao chuckled "You can say that again."

Midorima could feel a light smile spreading on his lips as the warm morning breeze caressed his cheeks. He enjoyed the thought of the upcoming pleasant summer day, all the more that he was to spend it with Takao. And just for a moment, for the blink of an eye perhaps, he thought that he might have actually gotten luckier than he deserved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, it is now officially over. Which may be sad news, especially considering that this end could easily be a springboard to another chapter, and many more chapters, in fact, describing their slowly establishing relationship, all the goods and the bads, the first times, the coming outs, but... There's already plenty of that out there. And this /was/ pretty much a fluff without plot story after all, so I'm afraid this really IS the end.
> 
> However, if you by some odd chance, enjoyed my writing, then I have much more MidoTaka in the works as we speak AND it's plotFULL AU stuff too. Alright, that's enough of my shameless self-promotion.
> 
> If you feel capable of it, I would really appreciate leaving me a comment with some feedback on the fic as a whole. If you have any constructive criticism, that's also really lovely.
> 
> But in the end, THANK YOU, every single one of you, for sticking for so long with me and reading my randomness to end. It's incredibly encouraging and it was a good time after all. Hope to see you soon, on a different fic perhaps? ;D


End file.
